


Dear Sad Eyes

by Kurgy



Category: Durarara!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Vampire, Blood and Gore, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, M/M, Original Character Death(s), Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Character Death, Past Child Abuse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-28
Updated: 2019-06-04
Packaged: 2019-09-01 18:50:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 7
Words: 22,664
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16770823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kurgy/pseuds/Kurgy
Summary: name: Orihara Izaya. Age: 24. Occupation: informant. Ethnicity: japanese. Species: vampire.Izaya has lived his life loving humanity, despite their flaws and personal transgressions against him, he loves them unconditionally. Always observing as an outsider, as someone so fascinated by human life, as someone who can never truly be human himself. His true nature remains a mystery to most, and simply bizarre to others, always remaining just out of touch with the humans he loves so dearly, never capable of building the kind of traditional human bonds he had always secretly longed for, secret even to him, until his world is turned upside down by one simple mistake.





	1. The Awakening

It was cold and wet all around him as he opened his eyes lazily. His skin prickled with the contact of the chilling water. He doesn't know how long he'd been out for, floating gently in the cold water, staring blankly up at the dark sky. He could see the bridge he was thrown from, no, dumped from. His assailants already long gone. He hadn't recognized their faces, but that didn't matter. What mattered was their blood. He decided he'd been in the water long enough, turning over gently and making his way to the bank. He climbed out, casually slipping off his jacket and ringing the water from its fabric. There was a dull ache in the back of his skull, he wondered if the bullet was still inside before he decided it didn't matter, it would emerge eventually if it hadn't already. Still, the blood running down his face was going to be a problem. It would be difficult to maneuver through the city like this without drawing attention. He gently dabbed at the blood with his sopping jacket, wiping away as much of it as he could. He supposed the people of Ikebukuro had seen weirder things than this, but he still had no intention of standing out too much, he couldn't afford being recognized. Not tonight. Then there was the problem with his assailants, he'd have to find them, before the news of his 'death' spread. He could still smell the blood under his finger nails where he'd clawed at his attacker's throat, he could track the man using this, however the other man might be a little more difficult. He didn't have a scent to go off of, but he'd find him. He always finds them. For now though, he just had to travel through the city unnoticed. Simple enough.

He decided to simply carry his jacket, sopping wet and now stained with blood, wearing it was out of the question. It had however helped wipe away most of the blood. After all, his wound had already stopped bleeding. His clothes were still wet, but that couldn't be helped. He simply had to follow the scent, he'd find the men, they'd never expect him to come after them himself after all. His demise clear and apparent in their eyes, despite how horribly wrong they were. Perhaps they were off celebrating, or reporting back to whomever it was that ordered the kill. He'd find them too. Hopefully he'd have this whole mess cleaned up before dawn. His lovely humans, always so spontaneous, he'd hate to put them down, but he couldn't risk the knowledge of his...condition, getting out, even if few would ever believe such an unbelievable thing like him. What he was. Still, he didn't exactly _enjoy_ killing his humans. It was sad really, like putting down an old family dog. But it couldn't be helped. It pained him, but it wouldn't for long. He'd get over it. For now, he simply had to follow the trail.

Traversing the streets as he was was rather simple really, far simpler than he initially thought, but it was late, the rush hour traffic and crowds dying down as students and salarymen had long since gone home. There were a few stragglers, but few seemed to pay him and his dripping wet clothing any mind. Which worked out in his favor, he didn't stand out at all among the thinning crowds as he followed the sweet scent of blood down an alleyway. The scent was growing stronger. He licked his lips. He was close. He stood at a crossroads, taking a deep breath and closing his eyes. He let the scent direct his next actions, leaping up onto a nearby fire escape, quickly scaling the building and coming to stand on the edge of the roof. The scent was strong, seeming to lead directly to the building across from him, second floor, window to the right. He took a running start and jumped the gap, his feet landing flat on the next buildings rooftop. He let out a long sigh as the scent filled his nostrils. The mans blood didn't smell the best, unappealing and tangy, but it was fresh, warm at the tip of his tongue. His tongue caressed the sharpness of his teeth. This was rare, he hardly ever tasted blood from the source. His heart beat loud in his ears, the hint of adrenaline running through his veins as he dropped from the side of the building silently, catching himself on the window sill with ease. The man was inside, he could smell it. There were two others, he could hear them talking. This would be quick, painless if he could manage it, but if not, well it wasn't his problem. With a swift motion he pulled himself up and through the window, glass shattering as he threw his body weight against the fragile surface. There was yelling, fighting, screaming, pleading, then silence. Quick. Just as he'd hoped. He got what he came here for and more. Information was easy to acquire from the scared. It was messy, but he made sure no trace of him would be left behind, now this was the law enforcements problem. He was done here.

The trek back to Shinjuku was easy, he kept off the major roads, traveling through back alleys and side streets, few even caught a glimpse of him. He couldn't take the subway, the blood on his clothes obvious, the smell alone would surely attract unwated eyes. It wasn't much of a problem, it was a nice night, he didn't mind a little detour. He strolled along, humming a bit to himself as the stars shined brilliantly above, the crisp night air felt nice against his skin. If it weren't for the strong stench of such mediocre blood, he'd consider this day a success. He needed a nice bath, the thought of it relaxing him a bit as he made his way home.

By the time he arrived at the building he called his home, it was late into the night, the lights dimmed and no one around to catch him in such an unsightly state. He walked cheerfully to the elevator, pressing the button to his floor, still humming lightly to himself as he entered. Grateful he still had time to get some sleep as he ascended. Before he knew it the doors slid open and he spun around a little in joy as he stepped out of the elevator, he felt light on his feet and allowed them to carry him home. Almost skipping to his apartment door and sliding the keys out of his pocket, he unlocked the door and stepped inside. His smile faltered a little. "Namie." he said in greeting. "I wasn't aware you were still here."

The woman in question looked him up and down, scrunching her nose in distaste. "What the hell happened to you?" she sneered, collecting her purse from the coffee table.

"Honestly Namie, do you really care?" he said sarcastically as he removed his soiled shoes.

She huffed in frustration. "I suppose not."

She walked over to him, her heels clicking loudly in the silence of the apartment. "Whatever... _this_ is." She said, gesturing to Izaya's bloody torso. "Leave me out of it." and just like that she walked out the door, much to Izaya's amusement.

"Have a nice night Namie!" he called after her, giggling a bit at the disgusted noise she made in response.

He sighed, time to get out of these clothes. He made his way to the bathroom, turning the water on in the tub. His hand staying under the steady flow of water until it reached his desired temperature. He removed his clothes easily, tossing them and his jacket aside as he stepped into the water, relaxing into the heat of it. He rinsed the blood from his body, scrubbing at his arms and hair cheerfully as the red dripped from his pale skin. The water turning a sickly pink. He felt against the back of his head with his fingers, feeling around for the spot the bullet had entered his skull, finding nothing, assuming the bullet must have been pushed from his healing flesh while he was still in the river. Which was fine. One less thing for him to worry about. He sat in the water for a while, thinking back on his nightly exploits. He knew the name of the man who ordered to have him killed, Suguya Mizuki, a low level crime boss not even worth the big names time, who was unfortunately absent from his underlings little gathering that Izaya had happily crashed. He also knew they had yet to inform their boss that they had successfully 'killed' Orihara Izaya, which also worked in his favor. No one else knew he'd been shot, no one alive anyway. Which meant three things; his secret was safe, he had time to find the man, and, the low level criminal would surely try again. At least now he knew who was _actively_ trying to kill him. Not that this Suguya Mizuki would have any luck, but it was still something Izaya would rather avoid.

He exited the bath, grabbing a clean towel and rubbing it over his head to dry his hair before looking in the mirror. He smiled. Teeth too white and too sharp. Perfect. He finished drying himself before collecting his soiled clothes, walking out of the bathroom, naked as the day he was born. He made his way down the hallway, throwing his bloodied clothes in the washing machine before walking off to his room, redressing himself in some loose fitting clothes, comfortable and warm. He was happy and comfortable, but that wasn't all, he was hungry. He never ate from his humans, though admittedly he had tasted the blood on his fingers from the fresh kill, but he never truly ate from them. He did this for multiple reason. 1. he's not interested in personally physically harming his humans and 2. he didn't want to deal with mass panic and fear of yet another serial murderer. He glanced towards the small refrigerator he kept in his room. There was a reason he never let Namie in here, though he doubted the woman would truly care that he kept chilled blood bags in his home, he knew she'd never guess correctly on what they were for however. He kneeled down, opening the small door and grabbing a bag before closing the door again. Walking back out and into the kitchen, he pulled out a glass from the cupboard, tearing open the bag with his teeth, and gently pouring the thick liquid into the glass. He licked his lips. It smelled divine. Rich and colorful, bitter but pleasantly so. He tossed the empty bag in the trash, raising the glass to his lips and taking large gulps of the blood. It was flavorful and bitter as it slid down his throat, he gasped happily as he finished the glass, setting it down in the sink deciding he'd clean it up tomorrow.

He head back to his room, turning off the lights, keen on getting a good nights sleep before he faced tomorrows problems. He had to track down Suguya Mizuki, which wouldn't be too hard, in fact it'd be easy. He doubt the man had the kind of muscle and security the Awakusu had, and even if he did Izaya would be able to bypass it all. A few bribes here, a bit of threats there, and he was in. Of course if it really came down to it, he could easily incapacitate whatever security he had out, and just like that he'd have easy access to the man, without killing. He wasn't in the business of personally killing off his precious humans after all. Unless he truly had too, that is. Either way, he had to get Suguya Mizuki out of the picture, and erase himself from any of the mans records.

He settled into bed, pulling the thick blankets up and nestling himself in. Suguya Mizuki would be dealt with, he was sure of that. If it came to it he's sure the Awakusu would take care of him if he asked, they did owe him a few favors after all, but he figured it might be more fun to do it himself. It wasn't often he did this kind of dirty work, but Suguya made it personal, it was only right for Izaya to return the gesture. He already had a few ideas that would ease the process. He sighed under the warmth and softness of his bed, lulling him slowly to sleep, despite his running thoughts. He had a big day tomorrow.


	2. Blood and Bone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izaya tracks down the man who tried to kill him, only finding an even bigger mess than he originally thought.

He blinked, vision hazy as his body lay sprawled across the floor. He heard crying, pleading, begging. His mother, he could only just see her pleading position on her knees beside him on the ground. He could hear the cries of his infant sisters coming from their room.

"MOMMY MOMMY MOMMY MOMMY" they repeated over and over again like a broken record. He could hear his mothers sobs, raising a hand up in defense. He tried to speak, but no words escaped his lips. He tried to move, but he felt shackled to the floor. It was just all so _loud_. Like a knife scraping the surface of his skull. His mother fell backwards, hand still raised in defense as she pleaded. He tried to make sense of the garbled speech before his mother yet out a terrified scream and then-

He shot up in bed, breathing heavily as sweat dripped from his brow. He hated that dream. He curled his fists in the fabric of his blankets. He closed his eyes, breathing in and out to calm himself. He regulated his breathing as he sighed, swinging his legs over the bed, feet planted firmly on the ground as he stretched his arms up above his, yawning. He checked the digital clock by his bed. 7 am, time to start the day. Namie would be here within the hour.

He walked over to his closet, opening the doors an examining his wardrobe. He grabbed a simple pair of jeans and his usual choice in shirt, quickly undressing himself and redressing just as quickly, pulling his new shirt over his head with a yawn as he tossed his sleeping clothes on the end of the bed. He exit the room and made his way to the bathroom, turning on the faucet and grabbing his toothbrush, running it under the water before squeezing the tooth paste on its bristles. He brushed his teach dutifully, being sure not to ruin the brush with the sharpness of his teeth, spitting minty foam into the sinking and gargling a cup of water before spitting that out as well. He opened his mouth wide, examining his teeth. Pearly white and many grown out into sharp points, Izaya pressed his finger against his canine, a small bubble of blood rising from his finger. He smiled. He washed his hands under the faucet before turning it back off again, drying his hands with a small towel before leaving the bathroom.

He head into the kitchen, grabbing the glass from the night before and giving it a good cleaning before setting it back in the cupboard, instead pulling out a small frying pan, setting it on the stove and turning on the heat. He opened the fridge and pulled out an egg and some microwave rice. He place the rice in the microwave and turned it on, cracking the egg into the pan and cooking it slowly. His breakfast was done in no time as he set the plate on the table, eating slowly as he casually scrolled through his phone, mostly checking his chatrooms. They all appeared to be dead, which wasn't surprising, it was early after all. He finished up his breakfast, standing up and placing his dishes in the sink.

He went about his morning routine, checking his email and making a few phone calls. One to one of his contacts in Ikebukuro, and one from Shiki-san, requesting a meeting near Sunshine at 4 pm. Which was fine, he could meet his contact before then. He ended the phone call with a polite goodbye as someone knocked at the door, no doubt Namie. He placed his new phone on the table, his previous being waterlogged after his adventure yesterday. He walked over and opened the door, giving his moody secretary a grin as she entered. "Morning Namie."

"Shut up." she snapped, walking in without removing her shoes, though Izaya didn't mind as she walked into the kitchen, surveying the area. Izaya simply chuckled, walking over to the couch and flopping himself down on the soft cushions, raising his feet to rest them on the armrest. Picking up the remote he turned on the tv, the breaking news story instantly grabbing his attention.

"This is breaking news from Ikebukuro where late last night a gruesome murder has taken place." the newscaster said, gesturing to the building behind her, all tapped off with police entering and exiting the scene. "Somewhere between 10 and 11 pm, three men were brutally killed in the second story of this apartment building in what some have described as looking like a 'vicious animal attack'. The mens names have not yet been released to the public but it is known that all three of them hold extensive criminal records."

The report went on as Izaya smiled wildly, noticing Namie watching curiously from the kitchen, he giggled. "What's wrong Namie?" he said, sitting up to peer at her from over the back of the couch. "Scared?"

"Don't be ridiculous." she hissed, turning her attention back to the sink.

"Ah," Izaya said, smiling. "Perhaps you're worried for Seiji? What with such a gruesome murder and all."

Namie glared at him in that way she always did when Izaya had the audacity to utter her beloved brothers name. Izaya just laughed as he lay back down, flipping chanels, landing on some morning talk show. He sat in silence for a moment before giving himself a gleeful grin.

"Tell me, Namie." he began. "Say someone was trying to kill you, had you shot right in the head and left you for dead, but, you survived. What would you do?"

"Is this some kind of trick question?" she growled, not receiving an answer as she stopped her work with the dishes.

"It doesn't matter. Even if I had survived, the damage to the brain would be irreparable, I'd likely be a vegetable." she said, turning on the faucet in the sink.

"This is hypothetical." Izaya said, amusement evident in his voice. "Say you made a miraculous recovery, retaining your memory and all cognitive functions, _and_ knew the name of the man who tried to kill you, knowing he'd try again, what would you do?"

"Have him killed first, obviously." she sneered, going back to her business.

"Of course." Izaya said, turning his attention back to the tv before deciding he was done with it, getting up and making his way to his desk. Taking a seat, he began going through his files looking for any information he had on this Suguya Mizuki. It seems even Izaya didn't take the man seriously, his information wasn't much, that would surely change by this afternoon. It turns out the man is 47, no wife nor children, parents deceased while he lived in their family home alone. His gang, if you could even call it that, was small in comparison to most, definitely not a color gang, and too ill managed to ever be considered yakuza. If his gang had a name, Izaya didn't know it. He wondered how such a man could have ever gotten the drop on him the way he had. A miscalculation on Izaya's part, he supposed. He would have to fix that. He vaguely wondered what he'd done to make the man hate him enough to call in a hit. It could've been a lot of things really, not worth the effort of digging through his memory.

He scrolled around aimlessly, checking the time here and there as he waited to be sure that Shizu-chan had gone to work before setting out for the day, he didn't need that idiot interfering with todays plans. He spun around in his chair, gazing out the window. The sun was shining brilliantly over the city, it looked to be a beautiful day. He turned off his computer, standing up and stretching a little as he made his way to the front door, bending down to fiddle with his shoes. He grabbed a pair of boots he rarley wore, having to settle until his other shoes were properly cleaned. "I'll be heading out for the day Namie." he said, slipping on one of his extra jackets.

"I don't care." she said, not bothering to look at him while she rifled through the fridge. Izaya chuckled.

"No need to stay so late today, in fact, you can go home whenever you want. I'll be out for quite some time." he said sliding his keys into his pocket, making sure he had everything he needed before leaving. She simply grunted in response. Izaya smiled.

He opened the front door cheerfully, closing it behind him and humming an unfamiliar tune as he made his way to the elevator, pressing the button for the ground floor and stepping inside. The ride was quick as the doors slid open, Izaya stepping back out and greeting the doorman before exiting the building. He stepped out onto the street, closing his eyes and listening to the hustle and bustle of the city as the crowds walked around him. The sun was warm on his skin, truly gorgeous. He sighed happily, smiling as he practically skipped through the crowds of people as he set out for Ikebukuro.

__________

He decided he'd take the subway to save time, and he arrived in Ikebukuro fairly quickly. He stepped out of the subway car with the crowd of other passengers, making a beeline for the stairs that would lead him up and out into the city. Still humming that unknown tune that seemed embedded into his subconscious and climbed the stairs, stepping out into the city he loves so dearly, watching as couples and friend groups went about their day, workers and tourists making the trek between destination to destination. He sighed. He really loved this city.

As he walked through the crowds he pulled out his phone, quickly dialing and holding the device up to his ear. Before long his contact picked up, Izaya instructing him to meet him at the Katei building cafe in 10 minutes. The man nervously agreed before Izaya hung up, happily skipping to his next destination. He had a meeting with Shiki-san at 4, and it was already noon, he'd have to make this meeting with his contact quick.

He got a few strange looks as he happily danced around the crowds making his way to Katei, but he never minded strange looks, peoples opinions of him didn't really matter after all. They could see him anyway they wanted, whichever was easiest for them to comprehend. He didn't mind at all.

As he came upon the Katei building the smile never left his face. He entered the crowded cafe, taking a seat near the window and ordering a coffee as he waited for his contact to show up. He sipped at it as he scrolled through his phone, checking a few message boards as they blew up about the most recent murder. Some blamed the murder on Hollywood, some blamed the yakuza, and to his delight some even blamed the black rider. He found it all quite amusing. He glanced up as the cafe doors opened, recognizing his contacts hunched and nervous form as he stepped inside. He spotted Izaya immediately, Izaya raising his hand in greeting as a friendly smile spread across his face. The man nervously walked up to him, taking a careful seat across from Izaya at their table. Izaya's smile widened. "Have you brought what I asked for?" he said, leaning forward and resting his chin in his hands.

The man swallowed nervously. "Y-yes." he said, opening his bag and pulling out a large envelope, placing it on the table between them.

"Excellent." Izaya said, picking up the envelope with delicate hands as he opened it and pulled out its contents. He looked the papers up and down, a small smile on his face. Oh how he loved this. Suguya Mizuki's entire life compiled in just a few short pages. The man was even more unremarkable than he first thought. Taking care of him should be a simple matter.

His contact tensed nervously, avoiding all eye contact as Izaya went over the papers, he eyed the man curiously before going back to the papers. "Order something." Izaya said, not lifting his eyes from the page he was reading. "It's on me."

The man jumped at the sudden request, swallowing nervously as his hands clenched into fists. "N-no..that's alright..thank you.."

Izaya looked up, a sweet smile on his face as he looked at the man across from him silently. He was visibly terrified, his hands fidgeting under the table as he shook. "I'll have...an iced tea.." he said, tensing his shoulders as his eyes dropped to his hands.

"Of course." Izaya said, calling over the waitress and ordering an iced tea before going back to the papers, flipping through them casually as the waitress brought over the ordered drink, setting it down on the table in front of the skittish man.

"Well." Izaya said, looking up at the man. "Then you know where he'll be tonight?"

The man straightened up, eyes finally meeting Izaya's as he spoke. "Yes." he said. "He's meeting some of his underlings in warehouse 5 near west gate. He apparently sent them on an important mission."

 _to kill me._ Izaya finished in his head. He took note of the mans sudden change in tone, Izaya raising his eyebrow at the man before he noticed Izaya staring, hunching over again to avoid Izaya's eye contact, resuming his typical nervous form. Izaya brushed it off, looking over the last page of the stack before shuffling them back together neatly, slipping them back into the envelope. "Everything appears to be in order then." he said, calling the waitress over once more to pay the bill.

He left a generous tip for the woman as he stood from his chair, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a money clip, handing it to his contact before cheerfully exiting the establishment, envelope in hand. He checked his phone for the time, schools would be letting out soon, he decided he'd better set out for Sunset to meet Shiki-san. 

His meetings with Shiki tended to be rather brief, so he expected to have time to make it to warehouse 5 shortly after. It seems everything would be going his way today, which was just fine, and he'd managed to avoid Shizu-chan so far, a definite plus. He checked the time once more, school was officially out, and before long he began seeing speckles of students on the streets here and there. Groups of girls loitering to gossip about this and that, nothing too interesting, until he passed a group sitting by the parks fountain. They giggled as they recounted the events of last nights murder, Izaya slowing down to hear more.

"I heard their chests were torn wide open, their organs all over the room!" the girl giggled, readjusting her shoulder strap.

"I heard the bodies were covered in bite marks, like they were half eaten by a pack of dogs! There are no suspects because everyone knows no human could ever kill like that, this was definitely the work of something inhuman." another said, leaning towards one of her friends.

"Nooo stop thats so scary!" the third girl said, acting scared before bursting into laughter with her two friends.

"No but really!" the second girl began. "The bodies were literally torn to shreds! Their chests ripped open, severed limbs, broken bones, and their necks were completely torn out!"

That peaked Izaya's interest. He pulled out his phone, stopping a few feet away from the girls as he faked a phone call, listening closely to the girls gossip.

"Pff." the first girl said. "And how would you know? It's not like you were there, those are just rumors."

"No no listen," the girl responded. "One of my brothers girlfriends friends knew someone in those apartments, and their throats were literally torn through! Like something took a bite right out of them! Definitely not the work of a human."

A pit formed in Izaya's stomach, he wasn't sure why.

He decided that was enough, faked a goodbye, and continued on his way to Sunshine. He walked down the street, arms swinging back and forth as he hummed. Crowds were bustling as students were making their daily commute back home, Izaya decided he'd check the chatroom on his way, pulling out his phone and tapping on the icon. To his delight setton and taro were in a heated debate about the murder, each trying to disprove the involvement of the black rider without realizing just who it was they were talking to, Izaya couldn't help but chuckle. He chose to stay out of the conversation, simply observing as the two went back and forth. Eventually the conversation trailed off, each bringing up separate topics quickly losing Izaya's interest as he pocketed the device. He figured he should hurry to his destination, he was never one to be late to an appointment.

He crossed the street quickly as he approached the meeting point, he hoped Shiki-san would disregard the envelope in Izaya's hands, its not like he'd show him even if he asked, but he'd still rather avoid the situation. He didn't need the man poking into his personal affairs. He turned the corner, weaving through the crowd easily as he came upon the meeting up point, the usual spot Shiki tended to pick him up for mettings. Glancing around he leaned on a nearby wall as he waited for his occasional employer. It wasn't long before the familiar black vehicle pulled up alongside him, Izaya smiling as he opened the door and stepped inside, taking a seat adjacent to the older man. He closed the door and Shiki signalled the driver to go. Izaya crossed his legs, placing the envelope neatingly on his lap as Shiki pulled out a cigarette, lighting it silently and taking a drag before even glancing in Izaya's direction.

"Shiki-san." Izaya said. "Good to see you again."

The man in question grunted in response, the car pulling out and mingling back into traffic as they began to circle the block. They rode in silence for a while before Izaya spoke up again. "May I ask what this meeting is about? Your phone call was rather vague." he said, checking his nails casually as he waited for the mans response.

"There's a certain man whose been causing some of our lower branches trouble. A low level gang operating out if Ikebukuro. We know the name, but not the location, his family home seemingly abandoned for some time." Shiki said before taking another drag from his cigarette. "We need you to find him."

"Oh?" Izaya said, glancing at the man curiously before turning his attention back to his nails. "Must be quite the nuisance then."

Shiki grunted again, setting the cigarette between his lips as he pulled a photo from his pocket, handing it to Izaya. "His name's Suguya Mizuki."

Izaya's expression turned wild. Oh. Oh this was priceless. Izaya had to hold in his laughter as he examined the photo. Apparently he was wrong about the big names disinterest in Suguya Mizuki's small time gang. This man was surely getting himself in quite a bit of trouble it seems. Izaya handed the photo back, successfully holding in his laughter but he couldn't hide the excited gleam in his eyes. Shiki seemed to notice.

"You know him?" he said, eyeing Izaya suspiciously.

"No." the lie slipped easily from his lips, but the wild look in his eyes never left. "I'm afraid I'll have to do some digging, it should be no problem."

"I bet." Shiki said, dropping his accusatory expression and turning his gaze away from Izaya, taking the cigarette from his lips. "You have two days."

"More than enough time." Izaya responded. Shiki eyed the envelope in Izaya's lap, but said nothing, instead signalling the driver to return to the drop off point. "The payment will be the same as last time, we expect good results."

Izaya simply nodded as they rode in silence, the car rolling to a stop back where they started. Izaya opened the door and stepped back out, giving a wave of goodbye that Shiki did not return as Izaya shut the door.

He waited until the car was out of sight before bursting into laughter, tears forming in his eyes at the absurdity of the situation. To think they'd be after the same person, that this Suguya Mizuki had landed himself in so much trouble that not only he wanted him out of the picture, but the Awakusu as well! Unbelievable. Passersby gave him odd looks as he practically doubled over in laughter. He'd have to disappoint Shiki-san, he was afraid, he'd already decided to take care of the man himself. Honestly the Awakusu might even appreciate the gesture, though Izaya would never openly take credit for the kill. He'd at least be able to point them to the location of the body, maybe even still get paid for it. Either way, it seems this man was going to wind up dead.

His laughter died off, his eyes gazing up at the sky as he smiled. He knew today would be a good day. And just like that Izaya set off again, only one more job to do on today's agenda. One more job that would put this whole mess behind him. He sighed. What a beautiful day.

__________

The sky was getting dark as Izaya slowly made his way to west gate, the crowd getting thinner and thinner as he approached the warehouse district. It's not like people have much use hanging out in abandoned warehouses these days, unless you're a small time gang with no real hideout to call your own.

Izaya hid in the shadows between warehouses as he waited for nightfall, occasionally peeking out to watch for any people coming or going, strangely, he saw no one. He sat on the ground, pulling out his phone and aimlessly sifting through message boards and other social media, only paying half attention as he listened for footsteps. It wasn't long until night enveloped the sky, the darkness of the area swallowing everything up as Izaya returned the phone to his pocket. Still he waited, but no one came, curiously, he slid out from behind the warehouse, taking careful steps to the nearest opening in the warehouse wall, a fist sized hole a mere few feet away. He wondered if the group had already arrived and he simply hadn't noticed as he peered through the hole.

The warehouse was empty.

Something was wrong, a pit forming in his stomach as he glanced around. Something was very wrong.

Just like that he felt them, eyes on his back. He was being watched, but from where? He couldn't see out into the darkness as he turned around and pressed his back to the warehouse wall, watching intently for any movement in the dark, but he saw nothing. He stayed like that for a while, barely blinking as he watched every shadow, every corner and every door. He slowly reached into his pocket, grasping the switchblade he never left home without, pulling it out and flicking it open. Then there was movement. Directly in front of him out in the darkness, shuffling feet, the drag of something against the dirt. Izaya let out a low, guttural growl, stalling the movement momentarily before he heard the shuffling of footsteps. Three men stepped out the darkness, each brandishing a weapon as they approched Izaya.

A set up. He wondered how much money they'd offeres his contact to betray him, they must have guaranteed him of Izaya's death else the man would know better than to ever cross Izaya. This mess was just getting bigger, much to Izaya's dismay. He pointed his knife in the direction of the three men, saying nothing as they drew closer. One man raised his metal pipe above his head before swinging in Izaya's direction, Izaya bending backwards to avoid the blow, another man moving to swing at his legs, Izaya easily spinning out of the way. Before he knew it they were all swinging at him, Izaya dodging and ducking each attack before slashing one of the mens chest swiftly with his knife. The man dropped to the ground, clutching at his wound as his comrade stopped to help him. An opening.

Izaya ran at they're hunched forms, leaping over them and sprinting into the darkness, the men fumbling as they made to give chase. Izaya wasn't familiar with the area, running into dead end after dead end, only giving the men more time to catch up. Finally he caught glimpse of the road, making a break for it as the men drew near, suddenly feeling a yank on his hood as he was pulled backwards, falling on his back roughly. He rolled to the side as a pipe swung down and struck directly where his head would've been, Izaya jumping up and swinging around, his hand swiftly plunging his knife deep into the mans arm. He let out a cry of pain as Izaya sliced through the mans bicep, yanking the knife back out as blood splattered against his face, Izaya once again making a break for the street.

It wasn't long before one of the other men caught up, reaching to grab Izaya as he turned around. Pure instinct took over as Izaya snapped at the mans fingers, blood gushing in his mouth as the man doubled over in pain, Izaya spitting the now severed index finger out of his mouth as he kept running.

All at once danger sirens went off in his head, not from his pursuers, no. Something worse. Something dangerous. And then he heard it.

"IZAYA!!" he'd know that voice anywhere, his head jerked in the direction of the mans voice, his blonde hair like a big warning sign as Izaya cursed under his breath. He heard a growl, somethibg heavy being dragged from the ground and just like that Izaya was ducking as a lamp post came flying at him, landing behind him but managing to miss Izaya's attackers. He tsk'ed. Shizuo couldn't even manage to be useful in this situation.

Izaya looked away from the lamp post and his attackers, watching as Shizuo sprinted down the street in his direction. Izaya's mind raced with possible escape routes before Shizuo stopped dead in his tracks, a look of confused shock on his face and before Izaya could react he felt metal collide with his skin, the sickening sound of cracking bone as the metal pipe made contact with the back of his skull. He nearly collapsed, his hands pressed firmly on the ground as blood gushed from his fresh wound, and then came another blow, his skull concave as the contact knocked him to the ground, his face pressing against the cold asphalt. He tried to move, but another blow came down upon him. Then another. And another. His flesh torn and blood oozing from his head as the pipe made a squelching sound against his exposed flesh, bits of bone embedding themselves into Izaya's brain. Blood pooled behind his left eye, leaking out from under his eyelid as his vision was stained with red. 

The blows kept coming wildly, disgusting sounds as the pipe was lodged into his exposed brain, before Izaya went completely numb. Blood leaking from his nose and ears, pooling around his face on the asphalt. Blood was streaming from his mouth, coating his tongue and staining his teeth as the tried to speak, not even managing a grunt as his lifeless body jolted with every hit he couldn't feel. He thinks the blows stopped eventually, but he wasn't sure, his senses in total chaos as he struggled to stay awake. He lost his vision all together, going blind as his eyes stilled, looking dead and hollow as he struggled to listen to what was going on around him. He heard footsteps, a growl, the sounds of shouting and screaming, metal against metal and sounds of cracking bone. All signs of a brawl and before he could figure out what it was he finally succumbed and lost all consciousness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! i lost the original veraion of this chapter, so i had to rewrite it, so if its a little odd im sorry. i appreciate any and all feedback if you want to give it! i hope you stick around for chapter 3!


	3. A Simple Mistake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shizuo sees something he shouldn't have.

What the fuck. _What the fuck._ Shizuo heaved as he looked around at the carnage before him, three men, bloody and broken as they lay unconscious on the pavement. Unconscious, but alive. That was more than he could say for Izaya. He didn't dare look at him. Even he had never beaten someone so badly, so brutally, the smell of blood was making him sick. He couldn't bring himself to look at Izaya's body. His dead body. Izaya was _dead._

He felt bile rise in the back of his throat. He knew Izaya had enemies, hell Shizuo was one of them, and all his talk of killing Izaya was just that. Talk. He never truly wanted to kill anyone, even Izaya despite how horrid he was. Yet these men, these bastards, bashed his brains in like it was nothing. Like they didn't even care that they were killing another person. Shizuo had to force himself not to vomit. What should he do? What _could_ he do? Call the cops? He'd surely get blamed for the whole thing. Just leave? Even he didn't feel right just...leaving Izaya like this. None of this felt right.

He ran his fingers through his hair as he breathed heavily, on the verge of hyperventilating at the sheer madness of it all. Finally, he glanced at Izaya's lifeless form, exposed flesh and brain matter as blood gushed from his head, his pale skin seemingly stained with the sick color of blood as it splattered around his body. He could see Izaya's exposed skull, cracked open like an egg, blood leaking from his lifeless eyes as it pooled on the ground. Shizuo immediately looked away, his eyes wild as he clasped a hand over his mouth. He was at a total loss. Of all people he thought he would enjoy Izaya's death the most, celebrate the occasion like it were his own birthday, yet there Izaya was, dead on the pavement and Shizuo wishing he had been faster, stronger, that if he hadn't hesitated Izaya would be alive. Now Izaya was dead and Shizuo felt nothing but regret and guilt. Maybe if they had just talked. Maybe they could've worked something out. Maybe he could've saved him. 

He hated this. Hated feeling regret over _Izaya_. A flea, a blood sucking parasite that had plagued his life for the past 9 years. He _hated_ him, and yet...there he was. Dead with Shizuo counting all the ways he could've saved him. This damn flea, this bastard, this _parasite_ , plaguing his mind even in death it seemed. He was gonna be sick. He took one more glance at Izaya's body, looking away just as fast. He hated this.

Then he heard it. The faintest sound of a gasp, like someone struggling for air, voice light and pained. He looked around at the unconscious men, checking over them one by one until he heard another gasp, louder this time, like someone getting their first breath of air, and Shizuo's eyes widen, whipping his head around to look at Izaya's body. He was moving. He was _breathing_. _He was alive._

How anyone could survive such injuries was beyond him, but he didn't care, it didn't matter. What did matter was Izaya. He couldn't imagine the pain of such an injury, he wouldn't wish it on his worst enemy, which in this case, was sort of ironic. He had to move, act fast before what little life Izaya had in him fizzled out.

He tossed his hate for the other man aside, bending down near Izaya's body and gently lifting him, trying his best not to disturb his severe head injury. He pulled Izaya's arms around his shoulders, wrapping his hands around Izaya's thighs as he positioned his limp body on his back. He stood swiftly. Shifting Izaya a little on his back to get a better grip. Izaya wouldn't be able to hold on, so Shizuo had to take extra care as he moved.

 _Shinra._. He thought. _I've gotta get him to Shinra._

Just like that he was off, running as fast as he could while he clutched at Izaya's thighs, trying to keep him steady on his back. He could feel warm blood running down his back, staining his clothes and clotting against his skin. He had to hurry, run faster, do _something_ before Izaya died in his arms. Fuck their feud. Fuck his hatred. He couldn't let someone die right in front of him. Even Izaya. Not like this. Izaya would never thank him for this, but that didn't matter either. He couldn't see Izaya's condition behind him, but he could imagine. He had to hurry. He ran blindly back into the crowds of people they had been cut off from near the warehouses, whipping his head frantically as people stopped to stare at him, some noticing the blood and running off, but Shizuo had no time for that. He set off vaguely in Shinra's direction, hoping he wouldn't be too late.

Strangely enough he could feel Izaya's chest rise and fall against his back, stronger than before, he took it as a good sign. People practically threw themselves out of Shizuo's way, something he would normally hate, but right now it only aided him in getting Izaya help before he kicked the bucket. He felt Izaya's arms shift over his shoulders, a hand clutching weakly at Shizuo's clothes, which only urged him on faster.

He stopped momentarily, surveying his surroundings, trying to figure out where he was, which direction he needed to go, he couldn't think. He let out a frustrated growl as he picked a random direction and ran as fast as he could, keeping his eye out for any familiar landmarks that would lead him to Shinra's. Slowly he started to recognize the area, running across the street through oncoming traffic, receiving quite a few disgruntled yells in his direction, but he didn't care. He recognized this place. He knew where to go. He just had to hurry.

Before he knew it he could see Shinra's apartment building in the distance. He was almost there, his muscles were screaming, his lungs were burning but he was _almost there._ He ran through crowds of people, through traffic, hurdling through parks, he didn't care who was in his way and then, finally, he was climbing the stairs. Ascending each floor as fast as he could with Izaya on his back. He had no time to breathe as he reached Shinra's floor, rushing to the door and beating on it with his fist, the door splintering with each hit, Shizuo gasping as he held Izaya's legs a little tighter. "SHINRA!!"

He heard footsteps, then the turning of a lock before the door opened slowly. "Hello~" came Shinra's cheery voice. "How can I..oh. Shizuo. And...is that Izaya?"

"YES!" Shizuo screamed. "JUST LET ME IN!"

Shinra stepped aside as Shizuo rushed in, Celty coming out of the hallway to check on all the commotion. Shinra directed Shizuo to one of the back rooms, signalling to set Izaya down on the table before quickly ushering Shizuo out of the room, closing the door behind him. Celty walked Shizuo over to the couch, sitting him down and retrieving him a glass of water before sitting down across from him as he gasped for breath, nearly collapsing on the couch.

Celty typed on her phone quickly before showing Shizuo the screen. _"Are you hurt?"_

Shizuo shook his head. "This is Izaya's blood."

Celty remained silent for a moment, nervously typing out a response before showing Shizuo the screen once again. _Did you do it?"_

"NO!" Shizuo shouted, nearly dropping his glass as Celty jumped a little. "I mean..no. It wasn't me." he said, sighing as he hung his head.

Celty nodded, placing a hand on his shoulder as Shinra reopened the door. Shizuo's head shot up, looking over Shinra's relaxed face trying to figure out what it meant. "Honestly Shizuo. The way you stormed in here I was expecting him to be dead, a little scrape on the head is nothing worry about you know, you've done worse to him than this." Shinra chuckled a little as Shizuo's face dropped.

" _WHAT?_ " he said, completely flabbergasted.

"I admit there was a lot of blood." Shinra said, placing his hands on his hips, laughing a little. "But head wounds can be like that sometimes, its nothing to be so worried over. I don't know what hit him but he may have a concussion, but its nothing too serious."

Shizuo was trying to make sense of it all when suddenly, Izaya stepped out from behind Shinra. Shizuo crushed the glass in his hand, Celty jolting in response to the unexpected reaction.

Izaya was fine. Up and walking around like it was nothing, blood wipped from his face with a look of boredom. No sign of broken bone or torn flesh, just his pale skin and mop of hair, small traces of blood around his nose and eyes, but other than that, he was perfectly fine.

"What the fuck." Shizuo said, standing from his seat with his now bleeding hand, disregarding Shinra and Celty as they scrambled to calm him. " _What the fuck._ "

"Shizuo calm down." Shinra said, standing between him and Izaya.

"I saw you!" Shizuo yelled. "Your head was split open! I could see your goddamn brain!"

"Oh please." Izaya said, sliding his hands into his blood soaked pockets, same annoying smirk spread across his face. "If that were true I'd be dead."

"YOU WERE!" Shizuo screamed, jabbing a finger in Izaya's direction. Shinra held up his hands, trying to calm Shizuo down before things got out of hand. He was breathing heavily, the images of Izaya's beaten and battered body scorched into his mind, yet there he was, perfectly healthy and giving that smile Shizuo hated so much.

"Come now, Shizu-chan." Izaya said, waving his hand in the air dismissively. "That's impossible."

Shizuo was stunned. He didn't know what to do or say, he knows what he saw, he knows Izaya is lying, but he didn't understand any of this. Izaya was right, it _was_ impossible. Completely and utterly impossible. But he _saw_ it. He saw those men bash Izaya's head in and now no one would believe him. Izaya wouldn't look him in the eye. Izaya knew, and Shizuo knew it too, but Izaya would never back Shizuo up. They were at a standstill and Shizuo wasn't sure where to go from here.

"While I appreciate your... _concern_ , Shizu-chan. This was all quite unnecessary." Izaya said, a look of distaste on his face as he walked passed him nonchalantly, making his way to the door. "Sorry about all this Shinra."

"No no," Shinra said, smiling. "It's good to see you two in the same room without trying to kill eachother."

Izaya laughed as he grabbed the door handle, opening it and stepping outside before giving a little wave of goodbye without looking back as the door closed behind him. Shizuo flopped back on the couch, staring down at his feet with a look of bewilderment as Celty sat down beside him. Shinra came to stand in front of him, kneeling down with a first aid kit as he began picking the glass out of Shizuo's hand. Shizuo was silent, simply letting Shinra work as Celty typed out a message.

_"Are you okay?_

Shizuo didn't know what to say. He was absolutely not okay, but how could he possibly explain why when he's already said everything he needed to? There was something so horribly wrong here and Shizuo didn't even know where to begin to understand it. He knows what he saw, and what he saw was Izaya's brain splattered against the pavement. He saw his caved in skull and blood leaking from his eye. None of this was okay.

Shinra finished up with his hand, wrapping it in gauze, not bothering to give him any medical advice knowing Shizuo would heal just fine without it. "All better! Well, mostly." Shinra said, standing up triumphantly. "Now if you'll excuse me I have to go clean up the blood."

Just like that Shinra was walking away, but Celty stayed beside him, typing out a message before erasing it again. This went on for a few minutes before Celty finally settled on what to say.

_"What happened? To Izaya?"_

Shizuo swallowed the lump forming in his throat, trying to put his thoughts into words. He wasn't sure where to start, words jumbling in his mouth as he tried to speak. Celty simply waited for Shizuo to get his bearings, trying not to pressure him seeing how clealry distressed he was. Finally Shizuo sighed. "I just got off work." he started, Celty nodding along as he spoke. "I was taking a walk, trying to clear my head, and suddenly I just...knew Izaya was around."

Celty held up her screen.

_"Your Izaya sense is never wrong."_

Shizuo chuckled a little. She was right. "I followed the trail." he continued. "It was near west gate, around those warehouses, and I saw him. He was running. I yelled at him, and he stopped. I was ready for a fight but then..." Shizuo trailed off, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Some guy behind him, he had some weapon, I don't know, I wasn't paying attention but he. He hit Izaya. Hard. Then again, and again, and again. He just kept on hitting him. There was blood everywhere, Izaya's head was...it was split open. I could see his skull!"

Celty placed her hand on his shoulder, rubbing small circles trying to calm him. It wasn't working. She began typing once more.

_"and then what?"_

Shizuo sighed. "I panicked. I attacked them. Tried to get them to stop, before I knew it they were all unconscious, and Izaya....he was dead. I'm _sure_ of it. I could see his goddamn brain! I didn't know what to do and then...he was breathing. So I grabbed him and ran here. But then..."

 _"Izaya was fine._ Celty finished his sentence. They both sat in silence for a while. Shizuo's head hurt, he wasn't sure what to make of this whole thing. He was starting to doubt himself. Maybe he had just overreacted over a small head injury, but if that was the case why was he so panicked over the possibility of Izaya dying? He didn't want to think about that. No. No he was sure Izaya had been hurt worse than a scratch on the head. He _saw_ it. He knows he did. But where did he go from here?

Celty began typing again.

 _"It's not that I don't believe you."_ she said before typing up another response. _"But we all saw that Izaya was fine. How do you explain that?"_

Shizuo shook his head. He didn't know. But he was going to find out. "I need to talk to Izaya." he said.

Even without a face Celty looked shocked, quickly typing up a response.

_"Just talk? He might have a concussion so if you got into a fight..."_

"Just talk." Shizuo said, determined. "I need to know what's going on. I know what I saw. I'll....I can control myself. I have to talk to him."

Celty fell silent as they sat beside eachother. Celty wasn't going to stop him, its not like she could even if she wanted to. Shizuo knew what he had to do. He had to talk to Izaya, control himself and just _talk_. He's never been able to do that before, but this was important, so he had to try.

____________

Izaya walked as quickly as he could, trying to get as far away as from Shinra's as possible. Panic was settling itself into his head, his heart beating loud in his ears, he just had to get away.

Finally he stopped, ducking into an alleyway and coming to a stop next to a nearby dumpster. He slammed his fist against its surface, a loud bang ringing out from the silence of the alleyway. He cursed loudly, slamming his fist a second time before giving it a firm kick. "FUCK!" he yelled, trying to catch his breath. "Of all the idiotic no good brain dead BASTARDS that had to see, why him!? Why is it always _HIM!?_ "

He breathed heavily, trying to calm himself before hitting the dumpster once more. He hated this. He _hated_ this. Hated _him_. What was he trying to do? Play hero? Get a favor? Extra brownie points from the fools dumb enough to call him a _friend_? Make himself think he was less of a _monster_ than he was? He hated this. Shizuo didn't 'save' him. If he hadn't interred Izaya wouldn't have been injured in the first place! And even if he was Izaya would've healed no problem _without_ witnesses. He could've cleaned this whole mess up by morning but no, Shizuo just _had_ to play the goddamn hero. Now he had a witness. Someone who _saw_ him. Someone he couldn't get rid of easily.

Izaya tried to clear his head. He had no time to be angry. He needed to get back to west gate and trail the men who attacked him. He needed to find them before they told their boss, before they told _anyone_. No one could know about him, whether they understood it or not, no one can know. He had to hurry. Find them before it was too late. He'd deal with Shizuo later. For now, he just had to focus on his attackers and Suguya Mizuki. His former contact would get whats coming to him, but even he could wait for now, right now all that mattered was Suguya Mizuki.

He left the alley, mingling back into the thinning crowds as he made for west gate. Shizuo had taken him way off track, he had to hurry. He broke out into a sprint, weaving in and out of the crowd as fast as he could, it was midnight, he could still salvage this. He just had to run.

He took a few shortcuts, ducking around groups of people and through alleys, making his way back to west gate. He'd injured two of them, he could smell their blood, he could find them. Fuck the Awakusu, Suguya Mizuki was _his_. He never ate from his humans, but this was different, he could make an exception. This man was going to die. Izaya would make sure of that, and if anyone got in his way, they'd die too. He was done with this mess. It was ending tonight.

He could smell it. Blood. His blood. _their_ blood. He slowed to a walk, a casual stroll as he veered away from the crowds. He knew the way, but he didn't need to. The smell was strong enough to guide him. He rounded the corner, spotting the warehouses. He was close. He followed the smell, leading to an opening in the gate that stood between him and the warehouses, and then he stopped in his tracks. All three men, laying unconscious on the pavement. It seems Shizuo managed to do something useful for once. Izaya smiled. It would be easier than he thought.

He walked over to the men, scanning the area as he made a plan. He could drag the bodies into a warehouse, take care of them their and leave them to be found tomorrow. He'd have to do it quick, he needed to clean up the puddle of his own blood, he couldn'tnd let this be traced back to him. It might take a while, he may not be going home tonight. 

He got to work, grabbing one of the mans ankles as he dragged him back towards warehouse 5, leaving him in the middle of the of the wide area, before going back out to grab the others. It wasn't hard, the mens weight hardly matching Izaya's strength. Once he dragged in the last man, he was ready. He kneeled down, checking to be sure the man was still unconscious as Izaya shoved him a bit. No response, that was good, it would make this easier. He leaned down, taking a sniff at the mans neck as he opened his mouth wide, the sharpness of his teeth glinting in the moonlight as he swiftly sunk them into the mans neck. Warm blood filled his mouth as he sunk them deeper, closing them over the mans artery before ripping the muscle and tissue from the mans neck. 

The man gasped as his eyes opened, clutching at the deep hole of his neck as it bled, his eyes shooting around desperately before landing on Izaya. Flesh in his mouth as blood streamed from his mouth, his teeth clenching as he swallowed the hunk of flesh and blood. The mans eyes grew horrified as he attempted to speak, only gargling as he reached for Izaya, attempting to clutch at the others arm. Izaya only watching as the man died, his body going lax as his eyes turned lifeless, his outstretched hand falling to the ground beside him. Izaya licked his lips. One down.

He stood up, walking to the next man and giving him a shove as well, kneeling down beside him after his lack of response, repeating the process as his teeth pierced flesh, taking a large bite out of the mans neck. This one didn't wake up, simply bleeding out in silence as Izaya swallowed that bite of flesh as well. He sat and watched until the man finally died. This one was much easier, his blood sweeter as well. He didn't care so much about the suffering of these men, they had come at him first after all, but he supposed it was easier to die in your sleep. Free from pain and fear. It made him feel a little better, though he didn't know why.

There was only one left, this part was almost over, then he could focus on erasing himself from the scene. He heard a groan, sensed movement behind him, he turned around slowly, the last man shifting, trying to lift himself up. Izaya couldn't allow that. He stood up, walking over to the mans hunched form, eyeing his missing finger. This is the one that had tried to grab him, he'd regret that. He stood above the man, lifting his foot before slamming it down on the mans back. He cries out as Izaya kicked him to the ground. Izaya flipping him over onto his back as the man grabbed at Izaya's foot, planted firmly on the mans chest. He looked up at Izaya, growing horrified at the sight of him. Blood leaking from his mouth as he bared his teeth, too sharp and too long, the man struggling under his foot before Izaya slammed his heel into the mans nose, the sickening crack resounding throughout the warehouse as the man clutched at his now broken nose. Izaya felt no sympathy for the man as he stared down at him, kicking him once more for good measure. He dropped to the floor, sitting next to the struggling man as he smiled.

"Tell me." Izaya said. "Who was it that sent you after me? There's no use lying, I already know the answer, but I want you to say it."

The man looked up at him, still clutching at his broken nose. Izaya smiled wider, his teeth on full display, knowing the man could see how unnatural they were. He wanted to instill as much fear as he could, he wanted this man scared, hopeless, he wanted him to beg. He had hoped none if the men would wake up, at least not until after he'd ripped out their jugular. But he could work with this.

"P-please..I-I don't.." the man whimpered, his voice muffled.

Izaya grinned, his eyes shining through the dark as he presses his nails against the mans neck. "Don't make me ask again."

The man was terrified, Izaya was thrilled.

"W-We were h-hired...b-by... A m-man named...Suguya..."

"Mizuki?" Izaya finished with a smile. The man nodded.

"I wonder." Izaya said, trailing a finger down the mans neck. "How much he paid you to come after me. I don't imagine he has much, must've been real difficult for him. To turn one of my contacts against me, hire you goons to take me out, so much trouble over little old me. I'm flattered."

The man chocked out a sob, still holding his broken and bleeding nose. Izaya chuckled, removing his hand from the mans neck. Izaya liked his lips, the tangy taste of blood coating his tongue. The blood covered his chin, dripping down his neck and staining his shirt, but Izaya didn't mind. He'd clean it up later, for now, he needed to trim these loose ends. He placed his hand on the whimpering mans face, then another on his chest and in one swift motion jerked the mans head back, smiling widly as the man screamed before Izaya sunk his teeth into his neck, taking a vicious bite of the mans throat as he ripped through the mans jugular.

The man kept screaming as Izaya ripped the mans throat apart, until his screaming became nothing but distressed gurgling. He sat up, letting the fresh blood slid down his throat as he swallowed his bite of flesh. He looked down at the man, already dead it seemed, which was just fine with Izaya. Now he just had to focus on cleaning up. His blood, his finger prints, it would all be fine, though it might take a while. He sighed. It seemed that it was going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! we'll be getting into the shizaya soon, as well as Izaya's past and just what it means to be a vampire, i hope you'll stay tuned for chspter 4!


	4. A Witness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izaya tracks down the man who tried to kill him, wanting to put a stop to this mess only to make it much worse.

Shizuo took a few hours off work, making the trek to Shinjuku, taking his time despite how anxious he was. The subway ride was uneventful, yet despite how mundane everything seemed, Shizuo felt as if his whole body were on fire. His heart beating fast and his hands shaking. He wasn't sure why, he's not scared, or nervous, at least, he didn't think so. He was just on edge after a weird night. After all it was just Izaya. He could handle his bullshit, hopefully long enough to have an actual conversation that didn't end in Shizuo punching Izaya through a wall. He sighed. He felt like no matter what this wouldn't end well. Doubting himself more and more as the subway car slowed to a stop, he figured it was too late to back out now, stepping out onto the platform and making his way to the stairs. He didn't know Shinjuku very well, but he remembers vaguely where Izaya's apartment is, so he set off down the busy streets.

He strolled down the street casually, checking the time every so often, having promised Tom they'd meet back up for dinner, he had a lot of time to kill beforehand, but he had no idea how this little encounter with Izaya would go. Whether he'd get any information, or if it just turn into a fight. Izaya was unpredictable, an outlier, a pain in the ass. He was sure this wouldn't end well, but he had so many unanswered questions, answers only Izaya could provide. He wasn't looking forward to this.

He made his way to Izaya's apartment, mingling with the rest of the crowd as he looked around. He didn't often come to Shinjuku, the only times he did was to kick Izaya's ass. It wasn't so different from Ikebukuro, but it wasn't so bad he supposed. Less people seemed to recognize him here, which was kind of nice. He pulled out a cigarette, lighting it and taking a drag as he walked, trying to calm his nerves. It helped a little, which he appreciated. He decided he'd had enough sight seeing, it was time to get serious. He picked up his pace, trying to weave through the crowd faster without drawing too much attention as he head toward the apartment building. It wasn't long before it came into view, the large expensive building standing tall before Shizuo as he came to a stop. He wondered how much it must cost to live in a place like this, that damned flea makes too much money for just one person. He shook his head, thats not what he came here for. He entered the building, the doorman not even glancing in Shizuo's direction while he read todays paper, Shizuo trying to act casual as he entered the elevator in a building he clearly didn't belong in. He was pretty sure Izaya was on the 5th floor, so that's where he'd start.

It didn't take long for him to find Izaya's apartment, which was a relief. He didn't have the patience to check each floor individually. He rang the door bell a few times, waiting in silence for someone to answer, but no one did. He rang the bell more, pounding his fist on the door a few times yet still no one answered. It pissed him off, but he knew he wasn't simply being ignored. It didn't feel like Izaya was around at all, he couldn't describe why, he just knew he wasn't home. He let out a frustrated growl as he scratched the back of his head, what a waste of a trip. He turned from the door, walking back towards the elevator before he reealized a woman walking towards him, her eyes transfixed on him with the clicking of her heels. He tried to ignore it before she stopped just next to him, clearing her throat. "He's not there then?" she said suddenly, throwing Shizuo off a bit.

"What?" he said, confused as he looked down at the unfamiliar woman.

She grumbled something to herself before looking up to lock her eyes with Shizuo's. "Izaya. He's not home is he?"

"Uh, no." he said, sliding his hands into his pant pockets. "How did you know I was here for him?"

She sighed, rolling her eyes. "Why else would you be here?" she said, adjusting her purse. "He hasn't come back since noon yesterday. I just want my paycheck."

"Right." Shizuo said, he didn't know how else to respond. This woman seemed to know him but he had no idea at all who she was, she did share some rather distressing information though. Izaya never came back. A pit grew in Shizuo's stomach. He hated it, but he was worried. Where could Izaya have gone? What could possibly keep him from coming home all night? Something about this whole situation was fishy.

He brushed past the woman, making his way back to the elevator, pressing for the ground floor and stepping on. He felt like something bad was coming, he just didn't know what, or how to prepare for it. Something just felt wrong. As he stepped back out of the elevator he tried to shake the thoughts from his head, thinking about it too much was just going to give him a headache. He left the building, taking another drag of his cigarette as he walked back down the street, heading back towards the subway. The faster he could get out of Shinjuku, the better. As he walked he noticed a crowd of people gathered outside an electronics shop, eyes fixated on the tv displays through the window. He slowed down, joining the crowd to see what all of the commotion was about. His heart sunk at what he saw.

"Breaking news from Ikebukuro where three bodies have been found in the warehouse district of west gate." the newscaster said, police on the scene outside a warehouse as the news crew stood just outside the tapped off gate entrance. Shizuo dropped his cigarette, thinking back to the night before, those three men he beat unconscious, it had to be them, but Shizuo was sure they were alive when he left. He _knew_ they were alive. What happened? It couldn't have been him, it wasn't his fault, it couldn't of been.

"The bodies of three men have been discovered within warehouse 5 by a worker late this afternoon, all three laying dead in the middle of the warehouse. The deceaseds throats having been ripped out by what looks to have been the work of some sort of animal. There are many speculations that link this latest murder to yesterdays incident in central Ikebukuro, but there has been no official confirmation linking the cases. As of right now, there are no suspects." the newscaster went on but Shizuo stopped listening. There was no way this was a coincidence. Could Izaya have...? No, theres no way. They said it looked like an animal attack. Izaya couldn't have managed that, right?

Shizuo walked away, he needed to get away. Those men, they were alive when he left them, theres no way Izaya could've....

Shizuo shook his head. This was all so confusing. What was going on? Ever since last night everything just feels so wrong, like something bad is coming and Shizuo doesn't know how to stop it. He made a beeline for the subway, marching down the stairs and onto the platform. He waited about 10 minutes before the subway car pulled to a stop in front of him, Shizuo shuffling onboard with the other passengers on their way to Ikebukuro. He just needed to clear his head. Stop thinking about how insane all this felt and just go back to the way things were before he found Izaya last night. He hated that even one slip encounter with the other man seemed to turn his world upside down, nothing could ever be simple when Izaya was involved, an unfortunately, it was hard to find something in this city Izaya _isn't_ involved in. Shizuo groaned in frustration. He didn't even _see_ Izaya today and he was annoyed. If just thinking about him got him this riled up he had no idea what just _talking_ to the other man would do to him. He let out a frustrated growl. This whole ordeal just put him in a foul mood.

__________

Izaya washed his face, trying to get most of the blood off as he held his head under the faucet. He's lucky he got here without being noticed, one of his many hideouts around the city. He had a change of clothes here, which was just blind luck. He scrubbed at his neck, dried blood flaking off like a second skin. He still felt adrenalin pumping through his veins, he always did after a fresh kill, but there was no time to bask in it. Two large kills back to back was rare, and drew unnecessary attention to the unnatural method of his killings. He had to be careful, he couldn't let this be traced back to him, no matter what. He could leave Tokyo if he really needed to, but that would be worst case scenario. He could salvage this, he only needed one more kill. Just one more time, and he could go back to dealing with things his preferred way. It would take time to go back to eating bagged blood easily after having the fresh taste he had last night, and after eating from Suguya, it might be even harder to get used to. But he could do it, he always could. 

He turned off the faucet, giving his head a shake before grabbing a towel to dry himself. No doubt the bodies have been discovered by now, he should probably head back out into the city, he had to find Suguya Mizuki. It wouldn't be hard, not now that the man had his full attention. He would drain every drop of blood from the mans body when he got a hold of him, if anything just for turning his attention away from more important things. The Awakusu had a deadline, that means he did too. Two days. He had plenty of time.

He dressed himself quickly, checking himself in the mirror to be sure he appeared normal. Then he opened his mouth, teeth glinting off the dim light of the room. he closed his mouth again, giving himself a disgruntled face in the mirror. He came to terms with what he was years ago, yet for some reason, after knowing Shizuo _saw_ him, he had an uncomfortable pit in his stomach, feeling like a self conscious teenager all over again. 

Then there was the problem with Shizuo. He wasn't sure what to do with that. Shizuo saw enough to know Izaya wasn't an average human, he may even know enough to conclude that Izaya wasn't human at all. Then again, Shizuo is an idiot. Maybe he could really believe that his head wound really was just a simple scratch. No, even Shizuo couldn't be _that_ dumb.

"Damn it.." he said, pulling at the hem of his shirt. He looked back in the mirror, giving a cheery smile and clapping his hands together. "Ne, Shizu-chan! Did you know I'm a blood sucking vampire? Keep it a secret ok!"

He stared at the mirror for a few seconds before his face fell. What the hell was he even doing? He slammed his fist into the wall, clenching his teeth as his hands shook. As if that would ever work. "Fuck." he growled.

He took a deep breath, he had to focus, he'd cross that bridge once he gets to it. For now, he just has to kill Suguya, get him out of the picture before this spiders web of miscalculations grows any bigger. He'd have to cancel a few meetings today, he doubt Namie even cared that he wasn't around, if anything she was probably happy for the few days off. Hopefully she wouldn't get suspicious, though she'd admittedly be much easier to get rid of than Shizuo. He groaned to himself, slapping a hand over his face in frustration. He hated this whole mess. But he could do this, he could fix this before it got anymore out of hand. He just needed to be careful. He underestimated Suguya's apparent hate for him, two assinassion attempts was enough, he wouldn't the allow a third.

He grabbed his jacket, slipping it on and heading for the door. He checked his phone for the time. 4 pm. He had time, this was ending tonight. He needed to move quickly, avoid being seen, and definitely not run into Shizuo. He was reluctant to call another of his contacts, he wasn't sure how many of them would betray him for the chance to get rid of him. He just needed something, something Suguya owns, anything with his scent, and Izaya could track him. He could still smell then mens blood on his hands from last night despite his efforts to erase it, but perhaps with this he could follow their trail, find someone, or something to lead him to Suguya Mizuki. 

He had a lead. He just needed to follow it, involve the least amount of people possible. Just follow the scent.

He set off, maneuvering through back streets and alleyways, trying to remain unseen by the crowds of Ikebukuro. It was impossible to stay completely unnoticed, but he'd make do. He followed the scent, grumbling about feeling like a dog, but he had no choice. He didn't know how many of his contacts might have been paid off, it was better to find out for himself later than to stake his current information on possible traitors. He shook his head. He needed to stay focused.

His trail lead him to a run down apartment building near the highway, his first stop it seemed. The first man lived on the second floor, three doors down, second before the last room. He walked up the stairs, knocking on the door a few times before kneeling down, sure that no one else was around as he picked the lock. His tools clicked, and the door was open. He walked in casually, shutting the door behind him. It seemed the police had yet to investigate the mans home, which was perfect, he could search through the mans untouched belongings for a clue. He had to be quick though, there was no telling when the law enforcement would eventually come knocking. He searched through papers, noting the mans open laptop and searching his files and emails as well, Izaya had to chuckle. There was an open email from one Suguya Mizuki. They didn't even bother to hide it. This was good he supposed, he could get his information, and delete the incriminating email that could trace Izaya to the murders. This did however mean he had to check the others homes as well for similar emails, he had to make sure none of this could come back to him, he didn't want the police to find Suguya before him as well, Izaya already decided. That kill was his.

Th email gave a time and place to find Izaya, and a meeting place to report their deed to Suguya personally across town at 8 pm. He was almost insulted that all it took for these men to attempt to kill him was a measly 1,000 yen. He was worth way more than that. These men must be financially desperate. He erased the email after memorizing the meet up point Suguya had given the man. There was no way to be sure Suguya would be there, but it'd be a good place to start. He quickly left the apartment, closing the door casually as he set off again. His next destination wasn't too far off, he walked cheerfully as he checked his phone for messages, responding to a couple emails before checking the chat room. Everyone was abuzz with the latest murder, he had to chuckle a bit to himself. The animalistic nature of the kill semming to clear the black riders name, but Celty rarely spoke up between all the bickering. He wondered what she must think of these killings, why a monster like her would even care about the loss of life. Despite all the arguing and speculation no one seemed to even have an inkling of who or what the murderer was. Izaya hummed happily as he pocketed the phone. What a fun day this was going to be.

He arrived at his next target in no time, climbing the stairs of the apartment building carefully as he looked around. This was further into the city, but it doesn't appear the police had been here yet either. Lucky him. As he ascended to the thrid floor he let the scent guide him, leading him to the room on the very end. He knocked twice, receiving no answer as he kneeled down and repeated the process of unlocking the door. The door swung open as Izaya pushed his way inside. The whole room was full of clutter, he sighed. This one might take him a bit. He started with any documents that looked important,finding nothing of note however. He eyed the outdated computer, wondering if he'd have an email a similar to the last mans. He turned on the old machine, it took a full five minutes for the thing just to start up. Izaya stared at the screen with a bored expression, this thing was so old it sounded like it'd give out at any moment.

Finally the thing flickered on, Izaya moving the mouse swiftly as he checked through the mans files and finally, his email. He had to laugh, of course he had an email from Suguya, but he didn't think it'd be a copy paste. This was just sad. He quickly deleted the email, turning the machine back off and standing. These men couldn't even be called hired guns, its like Suguya just approached random men on the street and offered them money for a kill. They had no skills, no management, just random men with no experience or talent. If Shizuo hadn't distracted him he'd have taken care of these men easily. It was kind of pathetic really, still, he got what he came here for, time to move on.

He left the room, closing the door behind him and making his way back down the stairs. He had one more stop, the last mans home was closer to Raira. He walked down the street quickly, wanting to beat the police to the mans home, he needed to get to the mans computer before them. He vaguely wondered if they had even id'd the men yet, even Izaya didn't know their names until he broke into their houses. But still, he couldn't waste any time, he needed to get the info off the last mans computer, then he could scope out their meeting point with Suguya Mizuki. If he was lucky, Suguya didn't know that his 'hired guns' were dead, and will show up to the meeting point at 8 pm. Either way, this was ending tonight. He'd deal with Shizuo somehow, but for now he could wait.

He arrived in a nice looking neighborhood, speckles of students here and there making their way home. He mingled with them almost seamlessly. His youthful appearance giving him a helping hand. He followed the scent through the neighborhood, coming across a nice little house where the scent seemed to lead. He walked up to the door, knocking a few times, getting ready to pick the lock until he heard footsteps coming from the other side. He stood up quickly, a pleasant smile on his face as the door opened. An elderly woman stood across from him, far too old to be the mans mother, must be a grandmother, she looked like she was on her last leg. She smiled up at him cheerfully. "Can I help you?"

She didn't act as if she knew her grandson had died, Izaya almost felt a bit sorry for the woman. "Hi, I'm a friend of your sons." He said, giving the woman a warm smile.

"You mean my grandson?" She asked, slight confusion on her face.

"Oh, forgive me." Izaya said, acting bashful. "You don't look old enough to be a grandmother, I was certain you must have been his mother."

"Oh, oh my!" The woman laughed. "Such a charming boy!"

Izaya held out his hand before the old woman shook it in greeting. "I'm your grandsons friend Nakura. I was wondering if he was home? I had something to discuss with him."

"Of course!" the woman said happily, stepping aside to let Izaya in. "He works from home, so he's always around, he's up in his room."

"Thank you." Izaya said, removing his shoes. "Do you mind if I go up and speak with him?"

"Not at all!" she said. "I'll make some tea. Please make yourself at home."

Izaya nodded cheerfully as he began climbing the stairs. He'd have to make this quick. She obviously has no idea about her grandsons elicit activities, after all, she wasn't even aware that he wasn't home. Izaya checked each room to find the mans, finally walking into a well lived in room with a laptop sitting open on the desk. The scent was strongest here, so this must be it. He closed the door behind him, walking quickly to the laptop and checking his emails, and of course there was one from Suguya, same infornation present as the last three. He deleted it, committing the mans name to memory before checking a few of his files and papers to be sure that was all and coming up empty handed. He left the laptop as it was as he exit the room, walking back downstairs and coming face to face with the old woman. "Is something wrong?" she asked.

Izaya smiled. "It seems Yoichi isn't here."

She looked surprised. "Not home?"

"It appears that way ma'am." he said apologetically.

"That's odd." she said placing a finger to her cheek. "He always tells me when he goes out."

"I'm sorry for the inconvenience. Thank you for your time." Izaya said as he head to the front door.

"No no, it was a pleasure to meet one of Yo-chan's friends." she said, walking with him before he bent down and slipped on his shoes. "Are you sure you don't want to stay for tea?"

"My apologies, but I must get to work soon." he said giving the woman another warm smile.

"Ah I see. Well have a nice day young man." she said as Izaya walked out, waving a little as the woman closed the door behind him.

It was a shame really, once the news of her grandson's death reaches her, he didn't imagine it would go over well. She was a sweet woman, she didn't deserve this. He felt a small twinge of guilt as he walked down the street, he tried to push it from his mind. It was Suguya Mizuki's fault, paying these men to kill him, it was only natural for Izaya to defend himself. He'd be sure Suguya would pay for it.

He checked his phone for the time. 6:30. Suguya's meeting point was a parking garage further into the city, Izaya would head there. So far things seemed to be going his way, but he wouldn't let his guard down this time. No, there wouldn't be anymore miscalculations, no more underestimating. Izaya would take out Suguya tonight, he wouldn't give up until the mans blood slid down his throat.

The garage was in central Ikebukuro, he needed to be careful, keep an eye out for Shizuo or any of his other acquaintances, he couldn't let anyone see him, or worse intervene. It wouldn't take long to reach his next destination, he'd have to stake out the place before he made his move, and this time keep aware that there may be others around to get in his way. He'd rather not have to kill anyone else, if anything just to make clean up easier. He walked quickly through the crowds, he wanted to beat Suguya there if possible, he wanted to know every inch of the place, all exits and nooks and crannies.

As the garage came into view, it turned 7 pm, and it appeared empty. Izaya smiled. Good. He walked in and looked around, aside from the main entrance, there was a small exit in the back. He'd have to be mindful of that. There weren't many hiding places, but as the sun went down, the shadows growing inside the garage providing some handy hiding spots. He slipped himself between some boxes and the garage wall, shadow enveloping him as he waited.

Night took over the sky as Izaya waited silently, the bustling of crowds just out of view making up for the silence. He glanced around the corner once he heard footsteps, three men approaching in the darkness, and to his delight, one of them just happened to be Suguya Mizuki. He lipped back seamlessly into his hiding spot, the three men entering shortly after. They spoke in hushed tones as they waited for their three failed assassin's.

"It's been 15 minutes." Suguya said angrily. "I told them to be on time."

"Do you think they failed?" The man on the right chimed in, Suguya grunting in response. Izaya figured now was as good a time as any.

He reached into his pocket, grabbing his switchblade and flicking it open, licking his lips as he slipped silently out of his hiding spot and before anyone noticed flung the knife directly at Suguya's face, the blade slicing open the mans cheek before he yelled in pain. Izaya stepped out fully in the garage entrance, moonlight shining behind him as the shadows darkenes his face. The two other man quickly pulled out weapons, what was with these guys and crowbars and metal pipes? Such inefficient weapons. "Hello~." he said in a sing song voice, giving a little wave as Suguya got ahold of himself.

"You!" he shouted. "How are you still alive!?"

Izaya sighed, a lazy smile spreading across his face. "You really thought it'd be that easy, huh? Surely you know whats happened to all your little assassins?"

The man swallowed nervously. "So you..."

"Killed them." Izaya finished, giving a little giggle. "It was self defense really, did you think I'd just _let_ you kill me? Honestly, that should be a no brainer. It's sad, I don't even know why you did it. I didnt even know who you were until two days ago, and now that I've met you, I must say I'm disappointed."

The man's face grew red with anger. "You slimy little cockroach!! You don't even know what you _did_ to me!?" he screamed, the other two tightening their grip on their weapons.

"No." Izaya said nonchalantly, slipping his hands into his pockets. "And I don't care."

"You sent, let's see, six men after me? Six, and every single one of them have ended up dead, quite gruesomely I mifht add." His face dropped to deadpan as his voice grew serious. "You've taken up so much of my valuable time, turning my attention away from things that _really_ matter. It's quite the annoyance."

He turned his attention to the other men. "Did you know that your boss here is wanted by the Awakusu?"

The men grew pale, giving each other worried looks. Suguya seemed to pale as well. "Not only have you gained _my_ attention, but you've stolen the yakuza's as well. How do you think thats going to work for you?"

He looked at the two men brandishing their weapons and smiled at their worried expressions.

"So here's what's going to happen." Izaya started, pulling his hands out of his pockets and clapping them together happily. "You two."

The two man seemed to jump at the mere mention of them existing at all. "You have two options. You can drop your weapons and leave, no strings attached, and forget all about this. You can put all of this behind you and we'll never see each other again."

The two men glanced at each other nervously as Suguya began to visibly shake. "Or." Izaya said. "You can die."

The mens eyes snapped back to Izaya. Izaya smiled. "Every one of you that he's sent to kill me so far has died, horribly, and you'll die too, and no one will ever know what happened to you. Not your friends, not your families. You'll be just another segment on the morning news before everyone forgets you ever existed in the first place. Either by my hand, or the Awakusu's. It really doesn't matter to me."

Everyone was quiet, Izaya's eyes grew wild as he smiled manicly, the men were weighing their options and before he knew it they dropped their weapons, metal clanging against the ground as they walked towards Izaya, hurrying past him as they exit the parking garage, Izaya's smile never wavering. They stood in silence as the men left. Suguya took two steps back, his eyes shooting around desperately. Izaya took a step forward. Suguya took another step back. Izaya's smile grew wider as his expression became deranged, his teeth on display as he took another step forward. His grin was indescribably horrifying, Suguya shaking in fear as Izaya approached. He could smell the blood dripping from the mans cheek. He licked his lips.

"NO!" Suguya screamed, turning on his heel and making a run for it. But it was too late now, Izaya had him, and he wouldn't get away.

The man ran out of the small exit in the back of the parking garage and out onto the street. Izaya walked briskly after him, the scent of the mans blood sweet in the air as he simply trailed after him. This man was hardly in good shape, he wouldn't get far, he's not very fast anyway. Izaya began skipping down the street, cheerfully humming that tune he can't remember as the man ran. 

He ran out into the crowds, trying to lose Izaya in the groups of people, but it was no use, he had the scent, thats all he needed. He dodged around the crowd, his eyes locked on the back of the mans head as he smiled. Suguya was screaming for help, but everyone just seemed to walk around him, ducking out of the way as he ran up to tourists and groups of friends, begging for help as they brushed past him. No one wanting to get involved, which was fantastic, it only made Izaya's smile wider.

Suguya seemed to give up on help as he continued running, Izaya hot on his trail. He was getting closer and closer, the scent of the mans blood growing stronger. He practically dove into an alley, Izaya strolling in after him. He made a sharp left turn, almost falling over in his attempt to escape. Izaya giggled to himself at the display, turning to follow after him almost breaking out into a fit of laughter at what he saw. 

A dead end.

This was pricless. Suguya slammed his fists against the brick wall as he screamed, completely unable to scale the wall and escape any further. He turned around, pressing his back to the wall as he heaved, sweat dripping from his brow and mingling with the blood on his cheek as he shook in fear. "P-Please..." he said, dropping to his knees. "I'll do anything please.."

Izaya walked forward, crouching in front of the man as placed a hand on Suguya's cheek, tilting his face up to look at Izaya's. "There's only one thing I want from you." he said, his eyes growing soft as he gazed at the other man affectionately.

"Die."

Before he could even react Izaya grabbed him by the hair, yanking his head up and exposing his neck as Izaya sunk his teeth into the mans throat.

He screamed, Izaya sinking his teeth deeper before jerking the mans head sideways, blood filling Izaya's mouth as he bit down, ripping through Suguya's neck as Izaya yanked his head back. Skin ripped and flesh tore as Izaya pulled away, exposed artery pulling like string as the man slumped to the floor, weeping. Izaya swallowed the hunk of flesh, blood drilling from his chin as he licked his lips at the tangy blood that coated them.

"W-Wh..a..are..y-you..." he gasped out, not even having the strength to grasp at the bleeding gape in his neck. Izaya smiled.

"That doesn't matter, but I have to thank you, I haven't had this much fresh blood in a long time. If it makes you feel any better, you certainly got the drop on me. I never would've expected that from someone like you, it's impressive really, so I have to commend your efforts. It's just unfortunate that those same efforts lead you to this end." Izaya said, patting the man on the head condescendingly.

Suguya gurgled as blood leaked from his mouth, the exposed muscle of his neck spasming as he tried to speak. Izaya gave him a lopsided grin. "Can't talk anymore? A shame. Tell you what, I wont let you suffer anymore, I'll end it quickly."

The mans eyes grew wide as Izaya opened his mouth, placing a hand on the ground and another on Suguya's shoulder, leaning in close to the mans exposed bleeding throat and swiftly sinking his teeth back into the mess of flesh. Blood squirt on his face as he ate away at the mans neck, swallowing blood and flesh as the man went limp. He pulled away once his teeth made contact with bone, and just like that, it was over. He could put this whole mess behind him and start focusing on more important things. He needed to contact Shiki-san about the unfortunate demise of Suguya Mizuki tomorrow, as promised, though he's sure they hadn't expected the mans quite sudden death. He doubt they'd care though, they wanted to be rid of him just as Izaya had. 

Before he had any time to move he heard the shuffling of footsteps behind him, quickly whipping his head around at the noise, his face dropping as he made eye contact with Shizuo Heiwajima. No, no this couldn't happen. Not Shizuo, anyone but Shizuo. He was frozen, hands planted firmly on the ground as he stared up at the taller man.

Shizuo looked Izaya up and down, shocked at his teeth stained red and gleaming in the moonlight, mouth covered in blood as it dripped down his chin. He swallowed nervously.

"....Izaya?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! i dont have a beta so im sorry for any spelling or grammar mistakes, im trying my best. i hope youll stick around for chapter 5! im excited for izaya and shizuos reactions to each other as the story progresses, and i hope you are too! thanks again!


	5. Caught

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shizuo catches Izaya beside a dead body, blood smeared on his face, and he has to make a life changing decision.

Screaming. There was someone screaming, running around like a mad man just a head of him, and something about it didn't sit right in his stomach. It wasn't so strange to hear random screaming in Ikebukuro, but this was manic, terrified, and at that moment he saw him. Izaya. Just a glimpse, the fluttering of the other mans telltale jacket as he zoomed through the crowds. Something felt wrong.

He apologized to Tom before sprinting after him, the desperate cries growing further away as Shizuo tried to maneuver through the crowds. He caught another glimpse of Izaya as he ducked around the crowd. He was chasing someone, he didnt even notice that Shizuo was trying to catch up with him. He tried to keep up, tried to scream after him, but he couldn't make a sound, his throat felt welded shut and then he couldn't see him. Izaya was gone and Shizuo was panicking. Someone is in danger, he wasn't sure if it was Izaya or someone else, but the whole situation screamed danger.

He skid to a stop, whipping his head frantically as he searched through the onslaught of people. He knew Izaya was still around, he could feel it, he just couldn't pinpoint where. He let out a frustrated growl, he had to find him, help him, or stop him. Then he saw the slightest hint of fur duck into an alley. It was him, he knew it was. He ran, pushing people out of the way before sliding to stop at the entrance to the alleyway. A shriek of pain rang out from the darkness and suddenly Shizuo felt himself scared. He didn't know why, but his feet felt like lead, still, he took a careful step forward.

"W-Wh..a..are..y-you..." came a struggled gasp from around the corner of the alley, definitely not Izaya. Then he heard a laugh. A laugh he knew all too well.

"That doesn't matter, but I have to thank you." came Izaya's cheery voice. "I haven't had this much fresh blood in a long time."

Shizuo's blood ran cold. What the _fuck_ was going on.

"If it makes you feel any better." Izaya said. "You certainly got the drop on me. I never would've expected that from someone like you, it's impressive really, so I have to commend your efforts. It's just unfortunate that those same efforts lead you to this end."

Shizuo took another step forward, listening as hard as he could to whatever conversation Izaya was having. Izaya was not the one in danger here.

"Can't talk anymore?" Izaya said in a sing song voice. "A shame. Tell you what, I wont let you suffer anymore, I'll end it quickly."

Shizuo's head shot up, his heart beating loud in his chest as sweat dripped from his brow. He had to stop this, whatever Izaya was doing, whoever he was attacking, he had to stop it. He walked forward, turning the corner and coming to a stop as he saw Izaya sitting on the ground, a man in front of him that he couldn't see clearly. Izaya's head whipped around to look at him and Shizuo's eyes grew wide.

Blood. Everywhere. Smeared around his mouth as it dripped from his chin. It dripped to the ground below him, a trail leading to the man slouched against the wall. His throat gouged out, gaping with exposed flesh and bone as if it had been eaten away before the dotes connected in his head. His throat had been eaten. _Izaya had eaten this mans throat with his bare teeth._

Izaya was staring at him. Shock on his face as he sat motionless, Shizuo couldn't imagine why _Izaya_ was the surprised one here. 

Shizuo swallowed the lump in his throat, his hands shaking as his breathing laboured. "....Izaya?"

Izaya didn't move, didn't even blink, just stared straight ahead. "What the fuck did you do?" Shizuo said, running a hand through his hair. "Holy shit."

Izaya said nothing, just stared up at him with those strange red eyes, only out shined by the gore on his face. Then he heard voices.

"I think it came from over here." a woman said. Shizuo whipped his head around at the noise, the shuffling of footsteps approaching. "There was a lot of screaming."

Shit. Someone else heard. They were coming, they were going to see. The blood, the body, Izaya. _They were going to see Izaya._ Shizuo was panicking and before he could think it through he dashed forward, grabbing Izaya's arm and pulling him to his feet, turning on his heel as his fingers curled between Izaya's before he started running, pulling Izaya along behind him. He moved as fast as he could, sprinting out of the alley and picking a random direction. He needed to get out of here, get _Izaya_ out of here before they got caught with the body. He dove through the crowds, yanking Izaya around as they moved through the groups of people. He had no idea where he was going, he just knew he needed to get away.

Eventually he slowed to a jog, people thinning as he glanced around, not sure where to go from here, but then Izaya was beside him, their hands still locked together as he took the lead, guiding Shizuo to an unknown destination. He should probably be more concerned about this than he was, considering what he just caught Izaya doing, but he simply let Izaya lead him to wherever it was they were going.

They got further and further from the crowded areas of the city, eventually arriving in a rundown neighborhood looking almost abandoned. Izaya lead him through the streets, weaving in and out of alleyways coming upon a dilapidated building with boarded up windows and surrounded by a fence. Izaya let go of Shizuo's hand as he jumped the fence, landing gracefully on his feet as he looked up at Shizuo from the other side expectantly. Shizuo jumped the fence quietly, landing next to Izaya, almost taking his hand again before he moved away from him and towards the building. "I own this property." Izaya said. "Follow me."

Izaya went around the building, guiding Shizuo to what looked to be the buildings basement door. He bent down, pulling keys out of his pocket and unlocking the large padlock, removing the chains and opening the door. Shizuo looked down into the darkness, a set of stairs going down further underground. Izaya stepped aside, looking at Shizuo as he waited for him to go first. Shizuo was reluctant, but he stepped forward anyway, descending into the darkness as he heard Izaya enter behind him, closing the door behind them as they were enveloped in darkness. Shizuo stumbled a bit on the stairs, planting his hand against the wall to help guide him in the dark. Izaya seemed fine, as if he could see clear as day. Before long they made it to the bottom, Shizuo standing still and trying to peer out into the darkness to get his bearings, the lights suddenly flickering on as Izaya flipped the switch.

They were standing in a concrete room, looking like a studio apartment adorned with a bed and full bathroom, it somehow looked better than Shizuo's apartment. Izaya walked past him, removing his jacket and tossing it on the bed, looking back at Shizuo with his bloody face. "I'm taking a shower. Do whatever you want in the meantime."

Izaya didn't wait for a response as he entered the bathroom, closing the door behind him and leaving Shizuo in silence. He heard the shower turn on and the sound of rushing water was the only sound to be heard. Eventually Shizuo sat down on the bed, finally able to catch his breath and collect his thoughts. What was he thinking, grabbing Izaya like that fleeing a crime scene. _A crime scene._ Izaya murdered someone and Shizuo helped him escape. This rat bastard who did everything he could to ruin Shizuo's life and he helped him escape a crime scene for an act he most certainly committed. This was crazy. No, no thats not even all of it. That dead mans throat was ripped out, flesh and blood everywhere, but most importantly, all over Izaya's _mouth_. It looked like he'd eaten the mans neck with his bare teeth, what kind of human could do that? Was he some sort of cannibal? He knew Izaya was fucked up, but he never thought he was _that_ fucked up.

Shizuo buried his head in his hands. What should he do from here? What _could_ he do? Turn Izaya in? Would anyone even believe him? If he were going to turn Izaya in, then why did he help him escape the scene of the crime in the first place? His mind was racing and didn't even notice Izaya walk out of the bathroom. The moment he looked up at him he immediately looked away, heat rising to his face. He didn't expect him to walk out in nothing but his _boxers_. "Why are you naked?" Shizuo said, rasing a hand to shield his face.

"I'm not naked. I'm wearing underwear." he said, giving a yawn of boredom.

"Okay but why _only_ underwear?" Shizuo asked, desperately trying to keep his eyes to himself.

"My clothes are dirty, I don't have any spairs, I'm putting them through the wash you idiot, what do you expect me to do?" he said, scoffing as he crossed his arms.

Shizuo groaned as he turned away. He didn't want to see Izaya parading around half naked. Izaya clicked his tongue before dropping the subject, each falling into silence as Izaya walked over to the small kitchen, opening the compact fridge and grabbing a bottle of water before going to the opposite end of the room and plopping down on the couch sitting near the entrance. They sat in silence for some time, Shizuo occasionally glancing in Izaya's direction only to see him doing absolutely nothing. He felt like he should say something, he had a thousand questions, but he didn't know wherd to start. He felt sick, he didn't know what to do, then an empty water bottle smacked him in the face and he whipped his head around to glare at Izaya turned around in his seat, a growl emerging from his lips as Izaya frowned at him. "I said 'hey' you oaf. Don't ignore me."

"I wish I could ignore you." Shizuo grumbled, grabbing the bottle and chucking it back at Izaya, missing and only irritating him more. "What?"

"What do you mean 'what'? You saw me, but you haven't said anything this entire time." he said, the frown never leaving his face.

"Where the fuck do I start!?" Shizuo yelled. "The blood, the dead body, or the guys missing throat!?"

Izaya groaned as he turned back around, raising his hands in frustration. "Of all people why did it have to be _you_." he said it as more of a statement than a question.

Shizuo stared silently for a moment, trying to muster up the courage to just talk to the other man, he hated how hard it felt. He cleared his throat. "Did you kill that guy?"

"Obviously." Izaya said.

"Did you..did you eat him?" Shizuo clenched his fists as the words passed his lips, he wasn't prepared for the answer.

"I guess you could say that." Izaya responded nonchalantly.

"What the fuck." Shizuo said. " _What the fuck._ "

"To be more precise I was drinking his blood."

Shizuo had no idea if Izaya was telling the truth or not, if he was, Shizuo was absolutely horrified. " _Why?_ " he said, he couldn't understand, Izaya had to explain, he just had to.

Izaya was silent, never once even looking at Shizuo as he slumped back in his seat. Anger rose Shizuo to his feet, confusion and fury leading him on as he walked closer to Izaya, grabbing his should and forcing him to face him. " _WHY?_ "

Izaya slapped his hand away, glaring up at Shizuo before he rose to his feet as well. "It's none of your concern why I did it, you weren't supposed to be there, you weren't supposed to _see_ "

"Well I fucking did!" Shizuo yelled. "I fucking saw you and you need to explain! I saw you before too. You were fucking _dead_. Your head split open, and you just walked it off, now you killed someone and _drank_ his _blood_ and you need to fucking explain!"

Izaya fell silent, his eyes dropping to his feet. He was obviously reluctant. Shizuo took a deep breath. This wasn't getting them anywhere, but he couldn't just leave and forget about it, this was all too crazy. He placed a hand on Izaya's shoulder as gently as possible. "Please." he said, trying to suppress his anger, trying to sound genuine. Izaya's eyes shot up and locked with his own, surprise evident on his face before a smirk spread across it.

"Since when are you polite?" he chuckled.

Shizuo growled. Izaya laughed.

Before he knew what was happening Izaya was opening his mouth wide, Shizuo confused before he became horrified. His mouth was full of pearly white teeth, all elongated and sharp and definitely not human. Izaya raised his index finger and pressed it to his teeth, piercing the skin easily as blood dripped from his now wounded finger. He closed his mouth, holding his finger up in front of Shizuo as blood streamed from the puncture. Shizuo was about to ask why before his eyes grew wide. The puncture moving and sealing itself back up as if the wound were never there at all. "What the hell..." Shizuo said. "Your finger just..."

"Healed itself." Izaya finished, placing the finger in his mouth as he licked up the blood.

"How, why... _how_." Shizuo was perplexed.

Izaya sighed. "You're only half right about last night. I wasn't dead, but I was injured. Never saw it for myself, but I could feel it. I'm sure my skull was busted open. It healed, and I was fine. If you hadn't interfered I wouldn't of been hurt in the first place, so thanks for that." he said sarcastically, crossing his arms again with a look of displeasure on his face. "How do you think I've survived _you_ all these years? You couldn't kill me if you tried, and you have, multiple times."

Shizuo was stunned silent. Izaya could heal himself, faster than Shizuo ever could, his teeth were sharp enough to pierce skin like paper, he was _drinking_ that mans blood. He was pale as death and nothing could kill him. Pale, unkillable, sharp teeth, drinks blood...All signs pointed to one thing, but that was impossible. It was _impossible_. But before he could stop it the words came tumbling out of his mouth. " _Are you a fucking vampire?_ "

Izaya burst into a fit of laughter, his sharp teeth glinting off the light of the room as Shizuo stared in shock. "Congratulations Shizu-chan, you got something right for once." Shizuo gulped as Izaya gave him a toothy grin, the sharpness of his teeth on full display as he smiled up at Shizuo. "I'm a vampire."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! Im really excited to get into the shizaya, which youre gonna see more and more of now that we've reached this point! i dont have a beta, so please forgive any grammar or spelling mistakes, im trying my best


	6. Bite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izaya makes a risky move

Izaya had no idea why he was being honest with Shizuo, why he revealed the truth of what he was to an idiot who would barely understand it anyway. Honestly he was surprised they hadn't come to blows yet, he'd have to commend the oaf for that at least. Shizuo just stared at him slackjawed, Izaya could almost hear the cogs turning in his head as he processed the new information. Izaya had to suppress another fit of laughter. This was unbelievable. Despite how funny Shizuo's slow thought process was, this situation was terrible. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't running through multiple possibilities to kill the man in front of him. He'd considered draining him of his blood before, he wasn't sure if that would really kill him, the main problem there was that he didn't want this monsters vile blood in his mouth, but he was running out of options. He ran his tongue over his teeth. This is the first time Shizuo's ever been prey in his eyes, it was exhilarating. He made his decision. Despite how vile it was, he couldn't let his secret spread.

Shizuo looked like he was about to say something, glancing sideways and Izaya saw his opening. Before Shizuo could react Izaya rushed him, pressing his hands into Shizuo's chest and tackling him to the ground. He placed a hand on Shizuo's face, digging his nails into his skin as he jerked his head sideways, exposing his neck as Izaya opened his mouth and fiercely sinking his teeth into the mans neck. Instantly warm blood flooded his mouth. He had to force himself not to gag. His blood was sweet, the metallic bitterness he's used to completely absent. Shizuo shouted out in pain as Izaya dug his finger nails in deeper, his jaw setting as his teeth tore through flesh.

Shizuo immediately retaliated, his hands wrapping around Izaya's arms as he pulled with all his might, Izaya somehow staying in place as he sunk his teeth deeper. "GET THE FUCK OFF ME!" Shizuo screamed, and pounded a fist against the side of Izaya's head with a sickening crack.

Izaya's teeth tore through Shizuo's skin as his head was knocked sideways, his entire body flying off of Shizuo and crashing into the adjacent wall. Izaya fell limp. Blood swirled in his vision as he tried to get his bearings, his ears ringing as he watched Shizuo stumble to his feet. "Fuck!" he yelled, grabbing at his neck, blood leaking down his shirt.

"What the fuck is wrong with you!?" he screamed. "Shit!"

Izaya struggled as he sat up on his arms, his legs not responding as he tried to stand. "Well that didn't work." Izaya said, the smallest hint of a laugh following shortly after.

Panic suddenly blossomed on Shizuo's face. "Shit am I going to turn into a fucking vampire!?"

Izaya laughed out loud as he rolled over onto his back, his laughing fit not letting up even as Shizuo loomed over him angrily. "Stop fucking laughing!" he yelled, still clutching at his neck. "I'm fucking serious!"

Izaya wheezed. "You..you idiot!" he said through his laughter. "You can't _turn_ into a vampire!"

Izaya rolled over onto his side, still laughing as he curled in on himself. This was absolutely hilarious.

Izaya's laughter died down as Shizuo went red in the face, he looked ready to hit Izaya again but Izaya couldn't help but smile, his teeth still stained with blood as it dripped from his lips. He stared up at a seething Shizuo, another giggle slipping past his lips as he finally propped himself up. "Go clean yourself up." he said with a chuckle.

"Are you fucking kidding me!? You just tried to drink my blood!" Shizuo yelled, his fist clenching in rage.

"Yeah, keyword being 'tried'. Obviously it didn't pan out. Now go clean up, you're bleeding on my floor." Izaya said, standing up on wobbly feet as a drop of blood dripped from his injured head. "Hurry up I need to wash my mouth out."

"FUCKER!" he screamed. " _Why_ did you try to drink my blood!?"

"I wanted to kill you, obviously." Izaya said waving his hand dismissively.

" _You motherfucker!_ " he screamed again.

"Hurry up." Izaya said, spitting blood onto the floor. "Your blood is vile."

Shizuo somehow looked offended by the statement, cursing under his breath as he marched to the bathroom, the faucet of the sink turning on as Shizuo attempted to clean himself up, holding his head under the running water.

Izaya stumbled forward and flopped down on the bed, a thin layer of dust coming up to greet him and tickling his nose. He sighed. He really wasn't sure what to do with Shizuo. Getting him out of the picture was going to be difficult. He could try and frame him, get him locked up in prison once and for all, but that wouldn't silence him. Izaya smacked a hand against his forehead, a groan escaping his lips in frustration. Making a truce with Shizuo was an option, but the very thought of it disgusted him. Trying to convince Shizuo to keep his secret wouldn't be easy, they hated each other, it would only be natural for Shizuo to spread the news, regardless of who would believe it. "Fuck.." Izaya muttered, pounding his fist against the beds surface.

"Oi. Flea." Shizuo said from the bathroom door, his hair wet and blood washed from his skin, however still staining his clothes. "I need to ask you something."

"I'm sure you do." Izaya said, standing up from the bed. "But I'm brushing my teeth first."

"Would you take this seriously!?" Shizuo yelled at him. Izaya shrugged.

"I take personal hygiene very seriously."

" _You know what I mean!_ " he yelled again.

Izaya shrugged again, waltzing past Shizuo and into the bathroom, opening the mirrored cupboard and pulling out a toothbrush. No toothpaste, bit he'd make do. He turned on the faucet, running the bristles under the water before sticking it in his mouth, doing his best to scrub the red from between his teeth. "Hand me a water bottle." he said as he brushed, surprised when Shizuo actually grabbed one for him. He handed it over to him and Izaya instantly unscrewed the cap, filling his mouth with the water and swishing it around in his mouth, spitting out a sickly pink into the sink. He continued doing this until the water ran clear, turning off the faucet and finally coming to face Shizuo.

The stood in silence for a moment as Shizuo stared straight into his eyes. "Well?" Izaya said, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Did you kill all those men? From the news?" he asked, a dark look in his eyes.

"Yes." Izaya said plainly, seeming to surprise Shizuo.

" _Why?_ "

Izaya sighed. "They came at me first. Simple as that."

"Killing people isn't simple! You...you killed 6 people!" he yelled, clenching his fists.

"7." Izaya corrected, which only seemed to anger Shizuo further. "They tried to kill me. I retaliated."

"You're a _murderer_." he said.

"And you're a monster." Izaya replied. Shizuo's face flared with rage.

" _I'm_ the monster!?" he screamed.

Izaya whipped his head around to glare at Shizuo, he wasn't sure what face he was making but it seemed to be enough to silence Shizuo. He stared at Izaya with surpised confusion on his face, any trace of anger seemingly vanished as he took a careful step towards Izaya before Izaya let loose a vicious growl. " _Don't_. Come near me."

Shizuo stopped in his tracks, a look of concern on his face which only seemed to upset Izaya more. "What are you gonna say, huh!? That I'm a monster!? Huh!? Like _you_!?" Izaya yelled walking forward, Shizuo somehow looked scared as he took a step back. "I am _not_ like you."

"Izaya..." Shizuo warned as he took another step back, Izaya still coming at him.

"You want to see a monster?" Izaya said, bearing his teeth as he hunched his shoulders.

"Izaya I'm serious.." He warned again, his stance changing as he got ready for a fight.

"What do you think would happen if I ripped through your jugular?" Izaya growled out, circling Shizuo like a vulture.

"You really think I'd let you?" Shizuo barked at him, trying to follow Izaya around him as the other man moved.

"I hardly think you have a say in the matter." In truth Izaya wasn't sure if he could, his last attempt ended with a crack in his skull, sure it healed but he wasn't sure how many more hits like that he could take without losing consciousness. But like hell would he let Shizuo of all people stand here and call him a monster. He needed Shizuo out of the picture, which only became more and more apparent as time went on.

Izaya got ready to strike, he'd go right for the jugular this time, rip the mans throat out as fast as possible. He's faster than Shizuo, he always has been, he just has to make this attack count. It doesn't help that Shizuo is anticipating this fight, but he could work with this. 

"I'm sorry."

...what? Did he just say-

"I'm sorry, okay?" Shizuo said again, raising his hands up defensively. "Obviously hit a sore spot."

"Shut the fuck up." Izaya said, only becaise he didn't know what else to say. He hated this. Should he still attack? Shizuo's ready for it, despite his attempt to appease Izaya, he was ready for a fight. Izaya let loose a frustrated growl as he threw his hands up in the air, turning his back to Shizuo. "Get out."

"What?" Shizuo said, surprise evident in his voice.

" _Just leave._ " he said again, not turning to face Shizuo. "Or would you rather I drain you of ever last drop of blood you have?"

Shizuo said nothing. They stood in silence for a few minutes before he heard Shizuo's footsteps behind him, growing farther away as he climbed the stairs. Izaya didn't move until he heard the clunking of the basement doors creak open and slam shut, all the tension leaving his body as he walked towards the bed and flopped onto its surface. He shouldn't have let him go, he should've killed him, or at least tried, but that damn oafs apology threw him off his rhythm. He just didn't have it in him to attack.

"Fuck."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading! i dont have a beta, so please forgive any spelling or grammar mistakes. this chapter was a bit shorter than usual, i apologize for that, but im uodating 2 fics at once so my attention has been divided between the 2, the next chapter will be longer, as well has have more shizaya content, it is a slow burn however but i hope youll stick with me for the next chapter!


	7. Panic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izaya, panicked and furious, has to find out who Shizuo has told about his secret.

Finally walking through his front door was a relief. He was exhausted, stressed, and just wanted to sleep. He had to report to Shiki-san tomorrow, but for now, he was going to sleep. He locked the door behind him, kicking off his shoes and taking off his jacket before throwing it to the floor. He didn't care enough to hang it up. He made a beeline for his bedroom, wrestling off his clothes and throwing them to the floor as well, grabbing the clothes he'd slept in last and pulling them on, the oversized t-shirt comfortable and warm as he collapsed in bed, pulling the covers over him and settling in. His head hurt, his limbs felt heavy, but sleep did not come easily. He tossed and turned in bed for hours until sleep finally over came him.

_____

_"Izaya." The womans voice said as a hand caressed his cheek. "This is important, you must listen carefully."_

_"What is it mom?" he said as she crouched in front him, he could hear his infant sisters beginning to wake from their nap._

_"You must promise me, Izaya, to never tell anyone sbout you, what you can do, what you are. You must promise me, Izaya." she said, her gentle face smiling at him._

_"But why?" he asked, innocence still to intact to understand why._

_"Normal people won't understand, they may come for you, take you away, hurt you. It will be dangerous, and hard for you, and I'm sorry for that. So you must make this promise. Never reveal yourself, not even to your sisters. Can you do that for me Izaya?"_

_____

He snapped awake, breathing heavily as his eyes scanned the room. He glanced to the clock on his nightstand, he'd only slept for 3 hours. He sighed, rolling over. He hadn't had that dream in a long time. He felt terrible, thinking of his mother. She was gentle and kind, and he finally broke his promise to her. He revealed himself to a man that stilled lived to tell the tale. He told Shizu-chan, and then let him go. Who knows who he's told. Shinra? Celty? Tom? No one could know about him, he promised, what did he do now? Leave town? Leave the country? He slammed his fist against the mattress. He was furious.

Finally he sat up, pulling the covers off his body and stood up. It was noon, and he had to report to Shiki-san. Skipping town before reporting to the yakuza was dangerous even for him. He didn't bother changing clothes, he wondered if Namie even bothered to come by today, if she had, he hadn't heard any knocking. No doorbell either. Which was fine, he wouldn't have let her in anyway.

He went to his computer first, turning it on and checking the chat room. He doubt if ayone did know about him that they'd mention it in the chat, but he decided to look anyway. No one was on at the moment, and checking back through previous conversations turned up empty, as he'd expected. He didn't want to dig further, instead standing and turning on the tv and flipping to the news. Suguya's death being the topic of the hour, and luckily, no one had seen him or Shizuo fleeing the scene, and there were no suspects. He sighed, flopping down onto the couch and staring up at the ceiling. Should he even bother erasing himself from Suguya's files? If he was leaving the country he wondered if it would even matter.

He was thrust out of his daze by the sound of his phone ringing. He wondered if it was Shiki-san calling about Suguya's broadcasted demise, standing up and moping to his desk to grab his cell. Surprisingly, it was Shinra, and panic began to settle into his chest. He considered just ignoring it, but before he could stop himself he hit 'answer' and was holding the phone up to his ear.

 _"Hellooo."_ Shinra said cheerfully, throwing Izaya off a bit.

"What is it?" he replied, mentally scolding himself for his expressing his sour attitude.

 _"Whoa."_ Shinra said. _"Someone's in a bad mood."_

"No, its nothing." Izaya said, sighing. "What do you need?"

_"Ah, well, did you and Shizuo get into a fight last night?"_

Immediately Izaya's breathing faltered, panic in full bloom as he weighed his options. Did he tell the truth? Try to lie his way out of it? Or simply hang up? Instead he settled for dodging his involvement altogether. "Why?" he asked, try to remain cool and collected.

 _"Oh."_ Shinra said. _"Well he came by last night with the strangest wound, like someone bit him. I doubt you would've done anything like that, bit Celty wanted me to check."_

"Shizu-chan didn't tell you?" Izaya asked, surprised. "About the injury I mean."

_"Hmm. No, he didn't mention how, just wanted it check for, ha! Venom! Weird right?"_

"Definitely." Izaya said, his panic seeming to meld with confusion. "Sorry but I didn't see Shizu-chan last night." he lied. "And I certainly didn't bite him."

 _"Yeah I figured. Well, Celty should be satisfied with that, I've got an appointment soon, so I'll let you go, bye bye!"_ and with that Shinra hung up, and Izaya damn near collapsed. Shizuo didn't tell him, he didn't tell Celty. Did he even tell anyone at all? Why? What reason could there be not to out Izaya as a...a _monster._ Shizuo should've been the first to tell every soul he could, so why? He didn't understand, but maybe, maybe he could fix this. Do damaged control before Shizuo _did_ decide to tell someone.

He sped off towards his bedroom, throwing off his clothes and getting redressed as fast as he could, practically running to the door and slipping on his shoes and jacket, grabbing his phone and keys and locking the door behind him as he ran down the hall. He needed to find Shizuo, he couldn't kill him, god knows he's tried, and thr only idea he had was a stretch. Appealing to Shizuo's 'humanity', or what little of it he had, was the last thing Izaya wanted to do, but he was running out of option. He checked his wallet, eyeing the photo he'd had since childhood as irritation laced his every movement. He hated this, he hated him, but he had to do this, his last resort.

The subway ride to Ikebukuro was agonizingly slow, he couldn't stop fidgeting. Shizuo would be at work by now, all he could do is check up with some of his contacts to find him, which he was reluctant to do considering what happened last time, which reminded him, if this works out he'd have to take care of his former contact if he hadn't skipped town already. He shook his head, that didn't matter right now. What mattered was Shizuo, and convincing him to keep his secret.

Once the subway car came to a stop Izaya practically jumped out the doors, hurrying to the stairs and rushing up them as fast as he could. Once he stepped out into the city, he was almost overwhelmed with the vastness of it all, he didn't know how to find Shizuo other than frantically searching the streets like a madman, he had to keep up some appearances if he was going to get through this and hopefully, to Shizuo. He slapped himself, startling the poor old woman walking by before she hurried off. He just needed to think, calm down, and think. He should start near Shizuo's office and work from there, he doubt he could convince anyone there to give him Shizuo's schedule, he shouldn't even try.

Then he heard, the crash of metal, the scrap against asphalt, and that roar of a man he knew all too well. He wasn't sure if he should feel lucky or not, but he'd take what he could. He sprinted off into the direction of the commotion, turning the corner just in time to dodge a flying trashcan, leaping to the side to see Shizuo across the street looming over a terrified man as his employer stood close by. Izaya took a moment to collect himself, letting out a frazzled breath before sliding his hands into his pockets, assuming his typical relaxed yet formal pose, standing still and staring daggers at Shizuo and slowly, Shizuo raised his head, locking eyes with Izaya, the normal rage he'd come to expect absent in the way of suprise. Now, the hard part. He smiled his most charming smile. "Hey, Shizu-chan."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry this chapter is short and for the kind of hiatus but hopefully ill be updating this somewhat regularly from now on. i dont have a beta so im sorry for any spelling or grammatical errors

**Author's Note:**

> Im gonna say this straightforward. this is heavily au based (i mean Izaya's a vampire how could it not be) and the events of Izaya's past are going to be heavily altered, though his excell in school and love for humans remains the same, mainly these changes will be concerning his parents and past domestic abuse. As a result, some characters may come off as ooc, though I will try to keep everyone mostly in character. the shizaya is there, but it might be a slow build, if any of this isnt for you thats totally understandable, but still thanks for reading, and i hope you'll stay tuned for chapter 2!


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